Choices
by LYKAchan
Summary: A Clow Card gets loose. Syaoran comes down with a fever. Will he fight it? CAN he fight it? And when given the choice, would Sakura choose Tomoyo or Syaoran? epilogue added
1. Prologue

Lchan: Please review this!!! I would really, really appreciate it. I'm used to getting few reviews (sniff, sniff...sadly), but that doesn't make me like it. Please, minna, feedback!! Comments and compliments welcome, but flames...no. It would be better if you contribute a nicely-typed flame in the guise of a comment. Onegai! Flames can a)discourage me and affect my writting b)get me down c)humiliate and totally whallop my pride d)all of the above.  
  
I especially hate A and C...and B. Okay, so I hate D most, but you get my point!!  
  
I'm rambling. Sorry. Please read and review!! I promise to update real soon if I receive enuf feedback. Uhm...okay. Thanks a lot!  
  
Prologue  
  
All was quiet...  
  
A soft breeze blew through the city...  
  
Streetlights glowed, houses were dark...  
  
Sakura Kinomoto's peaceful face could be seen sleeping in her room...eyes closed, lips curved into a slight smile...signs that she was having the sweetest dreams...a blooming blossom, serene and innocent.  
  
Syaoran, on the other hand, in his apartment room, was trapped in uncomfortable sleep...his auburn hair swept messily across his forehead, damp with sweat that dripped from his temples...his breathing was fast and uneven...constant tossing and turning showing his sheer discomfort.  
  
Kero, sticky drool forming on the side of his mouth, slept unmindful of anything by the window...the absence of alertness on his features somehow showing that he was dreaming about cupcakes in Tutti Frutti Land again.  
  
From the desk that was stashed with homework papers and a couple of alarm clocks, a rebellious Clow Card, with its glossy pink surface and the sweet- faced creature on the front, waited for a gust of strong wind.  
  
When it came, the Card danced with it, blissfully sailing out the window, slowly foating straight down towards the pavement. Just before it touched the ground, however, it glowed a brief flash of white and disappeared.  
  
And all was quiet again...  
  
A soft breeze blew through the city...  
  
Streetlights glowed, houses were dark...  
  
And still, uneasy, restless sleep tortured a young Chinese boy while a sweet blooming flower rested, dreaming beautiful dreams...  
  
* * * tbc  
  
Lchan: Uhm...next chapter. Please. RnR!!! 


	2. Feverish Fighter

Lchan: Okay. Chapter 1. Please, I really, really, really, really, really LUV feedback! Well. NICE, GOOD feedback. Flames...not!! Ah...well...this is the first R-E-A-L chapter...it's sort of fast-forwarded. If I had my way, I'd do it s...l...o...w...l...y. You can read full, exact details, really long chapters, lotsa thoughts and deep, deep words...  
  
No, I'm not bragging. I'm rambling. Read on. When you see the 'tbc' thing below the * * * at the bottom, then you know you've reached the point where you HAVE to click that 'Go' button there with 'Sumbit review' chosen from the drop-down toolbar beside it.  
  
Okay. Go on. Read, read.  
  
I - Feverish Fighter  
  
"Honto ni!? You came earlier than Li-kun!?" Sakura said, amazed.  
  
"Hai! But that might mean he's not coming at all," Tomoyo pointed out, thoughtfully.  
  
"Eh!? Ah...you're right..." Sakura's face fell. "Well, maybe he'll still come..."  
  
"Maybe--" Tomoyo stopped short.  
  
Syaoran entered the classroom, eyes hidden behind the auburn locks that messily displayed themselves, playing across his forehead, obscuring emotions. His head was bowed, face blank, and when he reached his seat behind Sakura, he wearily dropped his bag, fell into the seat, refused to look at who was around him, and kept his head down on his arms.  
  
"Ohayo, Syaoran-kun," Sakura said, cautiously. Tomoyo echoed her.  
  
Syaoran didn't reply.  
  
"Daijobu desu ka?"  
  
Syaoran graced her with a barely audible, "Ah. I'm fine."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Ah."  
  
"Demo..."  
  
Syaoran raised his piercing auburn eyes to Sakura's concerned emerald ones, telling, pleading her to leave him alone. Sakura, though dense like she was, got the message, and she gave up trying to know what was obviously bothering Syaoran.  
  
Throughout the day, this continued. Syaoran's usual attentiveness lacked by huge amounts, always and constantly buried in his own thoughts. He distanced himself from everyone more than usual, only talked when someone asked him a question. His energy seemed so limited, his face lacked expression, his discomfort was obvious, and had his head in his arms at every spare moment.  
  
"Syaoran-kun, let's go and eat lunch," Sakura prodded, softly, gently tapping Syaoran's shoulder, whose face was once again buried in his arms, trying to keep his breathing neutral.  
  
Syaoran raised his head at her touch. His gaze hardened, and his eyes shifted to escape her concerned gaze. "You go ahead."  
  
"Eh!? WHY?"  
  
"I don't feel like eating, that's all."  
  
"But you'll eat lunch, won't you?"  
  
"No. No appetite. Just go."  
  
"But..."  
  
He flashed her a brief glare, flicked his eyes away and avoided Sakura's eyes.  
  
"Okay...join us if you want to, Syaoran-kun," Sakura said. She and Tomoyo left, casting worried faces towards him.  
  
When the dismissal bell rang, he left without a word, eyes hidden beneath his brown locks again.  
  
"I know something's wrong with him, Tomoyo-chan," Sakura said, as they walked through the school gates together.  
  
"Yes, I do too."  
  
"Did I do something...say something...to make him mad at me?"  
  
"No. Symptoms say he has a fever," Tomoyo said, thoughtfully. "No energy, unfocused, silence on his part, and I can hear him struggling to remain awake out of the corner of my eye behind you."  
  
"Really!?" Sakura said.  
  
"Positive. I was disappointed. No Sakura-Syaoran moments for me to tape..." Tomoyo admitted, wistfully, looking sadly at her video camera.  
  
Sakura sweatdropped.  
  
"I suppose you'd want to visit him, ne?" Tomoyo said, hopefully. "Maybe I can tape you two together..." She let out a dreamy sigh and stars found places in her eyes.  
  
"Tomoyo-chan..."  
  
"Kawaii!!! Let's go!!!!" Tomoyo steered Sakura to the street that would lead to Syaoran's apartment.  
  
* * * After much fussing and blushing * * *  
  
Knock. Knock.  
  
"Syaoran-kun!?"  
  
"Syaoran!!"  
  
"It's us!"  
  
Syaoran...  
  
Syaoran-kun...  
  
He could hear voices...  
  
Syaoran-kun..  
  
Are you there...  
  
Sakura...Tomoyo...  
  
Syaoran raised his fever-flushed face from the couch, where he'd collapsed when he arrived earlier. His eyes were unfocused, his breathing shallow, and his limbs--every part of him--felt numb, icy.and yet hot, so hot, at the same time.  
  
The moment he'd arrived from school, he'd blacked out on the couch, tired and exhausted from his efforts of staying awake while in school. His lids had felt heavy, his head light, and every limb in his body ached.  
  
He dragged his two-tons-each legs to the door and lifted his hand to twist the knob open.  
  
"Kinomoto...Daidouji..." he said, almost weakly. Then he forced more feeling. "Yo."  
  
"Konnichiwa, Syaoran-kun," Sakura said, kindly. Tomoyo already had her videotape on, but she waved her free hand as a sign of hello.  
  
Syaoran stumbled. Afraid of showing weakness, he recovered and tried to stay alert. "Gomen, but I...I've got something to do...busy...right now...I..."  
  
He was cut short by a cool hand that brushed against his forehead. His auburn eyes widened slightly.  
  
"Syaoran-kun!!!" Sakura's shriek echoed...reechoed...and reechoed...through his head. "We must get you to the hospital quick!!"  
  
So it was HER hand...  
  
"No!!" Syaoran cried out. "No hospitals. I can handle this."  
  
"Demo, you're so hot and this might get worse if--" Sakura looked really alarmed.  
  
Syaoran shook his head. Behind the feverish flush on his face, there was a bright pink blush from all the concern he was getting from...HER. "A few tablets will do. This is nothing."  
  
"Syaoran..."  
  
"No, Sakura."  
  
"I...but...okay...but we'll take care of you for now."  
  
"No....no need. Just come in."  
  
Sakura and Tomoyo entered. Tomoyo had captured the whole scene, but she wasn't happy about Syaoran's fever. She wasn't a heartless person who only lived for S+S moments. Sakura, of course, was sick with tension.  
  
"Sit," Syaoran said. He felt a strong urge to collapse and black out, but he resisted. He motioned towards the sofa with his hand. He didn't offer any drinks since that would require him to go to the kitchen.  
  
"Since when did you come down with...with this?" Sakura asked, softly.  
  
"With what?" Syaoran replied, although he already knew.  
  
"Your fever."  
  
"Well...last night."  
  
"Why did you come to school?"  
  
"This couldn't possibly be an acceptable excuse, could it!?"  
  
"But--"  
  
"Sakura...there's no need to--uhn!"  
  
"Syaoran!?"  
  
"Uhm...nothing, I...nothing."  
  
"What is it!?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Fainting spell." Tomoyo, camcorder still recording everything, spoke up.  
  
"What was that, Tomoyo-chan?"  
  
"Fainting spell. Sort of...a brief black-out."  
  
"SYAORAN!!"  
  
"Stop exaggerating--huh?" Syaoran raised his auburn eyes, motining to the girls to keep silent. "Do you sense it?" he asked Sakura.  
  
"What? What!?" Sakura asked, panicky.  
  
"Some captor."  
  
"WHAT!?"  
  
"A Clow Card. It's loose."  
  
Sakura gasped. She instinctively clutched her key as she tried to feel the familiar magical aura that could only come from a Clow Card.. "I...I...I feel it!" she cried. "Let's g--" she stopped. She watched Syaoran as he grabbed his sword (AN: if it's true that the sword can change into ball and tassle form, then that's what Syaoran grabbed from the table) which was on the coffee table, wincing a little at the weight (AN: when it's already in sword form).  
  
She bit her lip. "But let it wait, you have to rest, Syaoran-kun."  
  
"No!" Syaoran protested, standing up from his position on the couch. He swayed unsteadily, but managed to stand, his hand tightening on his sword. "I'll go."  
  
"What!? Syaoran-kun, you can't be serious!!!" Sakura hopped up, running to him and searching his face. "You'll get worse!! You can't!!"  
  
"No. I'll go. You go too. I need you to seal it." Syaoran, without bothering to change into his battle robes, grabbed Sakura's hand. "Don't pity me. I'm fine," he said.  
  
"Syaoran-kun..."  
  
"Sakura, please..."  
  
"I...okay..."  
  
"But your costumes!!" Tomoyo protested.  
  
"No time. I wanna catch it ASAP," Syaoran said. Of course, the fact that he just wanted to have it soon because he might not be able to last long out there in his state would remain a secret.  
  
Well...at least for now.  
  
They'll find out...  
  
Later...  
  
MUCH later...  
  
* * * tbc 


	3. Hide and Seek

Lchan: Yay! 2rd chapter!! Thanks a lot to all you supercalifragilisticexpialidocious people who reviewed the first one (and the prologue)! To all who are asking...I dunno when this happens. I'm sorry. I just put in the characters I want to put in. If it'll help, Syaoran still hasn't told Sakura his feelings and Sakura's still in the confusing-emotions stage. No Yue.  
  
Uhm...okay. Please review! Choose really subtle hints of a flame in the form of a comment if you have the urge to criticize wee ol' Lchan's compositions. Peace, people!  
  
II-Hide and Seek  
  
"Syaoran! Syaoran-kun!! Come back!! Don't--!" Sakura yelped, as Syaoran, finding meager strength from who-knows-where and relying mostly on adrenaline, bolted out the door.  
  
Stares from spectators that Sakura's shrieks had acquired gave him a feeling of utter irritation, but, with his powerful ability to ignore, he managed to run by them without cussing.  
  
Sakura, who was behind him, wasn't helping things with her shouting, "Syaoran-kun, come back, your fever!!" and Tomoyo shouting, "Sakura-chan!! He'll get KILLED!!"  
  
He ran on. 'Someone's bound to make a movie of this,' he thought, sarcastically and embarrassedly, even to himself.  
  
As he passed by a caring mother who stood outside a shop with her children, staring at him like all the others, he heard her whisper to her kids in an alarmed voice: "Don't go near, he's carrying a sword...keep away!"  
  
Syaoran's amber eyes widened.  
  
WHAT!?!?  
  
His eyes flicked down, and he realized theyw ere right. He grumbled at his stupidity and turned it back to ball-and-tassel when they ran through an empty street.  
  
"SYAORAN!!!!" Sakura screamed, feeling panic gushing through her heart and her mind--so much that she felt almost numb.  
  
Syaoran didn't respond. It wasn't that he just felt like ignoring her, although that was part of it, but yelling would require too much energy, and he didn't have too much energy.  
  
It was a strange feeling--hot...yet cold...like icy fire-- feverish...uncomfortable...downright h-o-t. And the heat was affecting his lungs, which seemed to be running out of air, like an unreliable supply of breath. Everything was blurry, constantly swimming in and out of focus. Intricate designs on people's shirts became vague splashes of colors, then back again. But he ran on.  
  
Syaoran-kun...stop...yamete, onegai...  
  
'Not a chance...I'm sorry, Sakura...but I can't...I just can't....'  
  
"Sakura-chan, come on! Just help him all you can, don't let him fight alone!! Don't let him fight, if you can!! Let him save his energy!! Hayaku, Sakura-chan!!"  
  
'Daidouji...actually panicking...I'm honored. But she can't expect me to let Sakura fight alone... and risk her safety...no. Not while I'M still around to help, even in this pathetic condition...she is not allowed to get hurt.'  
  
And he ran on, hoping against hope he'd be able to fight properly. The aquarium. That was where the Card was hiding. He could feel its beckoning aura, inviting him to enter the dimension called unconsciousness. His vision blotted a little. He shook his head.  
  
No way was he missing this fight.  
  
No way.  
  
'That Clow Card is going down.'  
  
* * * Aquarium * * *  
  
Strangely enough, only few people were in the Aquarium, only some tourists, a guard, and a couple of bored waiters and a manager in the empty restaurant.  
  
"This place never fails to make me feel...good," Sakura breathed. "It's so...magical..."  
  
"This place is making me feel nauseous," Syaoran grumbled, resisting the urge to raise an icy hand to check his temperature. He bit his lip and tried not to shiver. The cool, air-conditioned air felt almost freezing, the cold contrasting unbearably with the hotness of his fever.  
  
"Syaoran-kun, daijobu?" Sakura asked, her emerald eyes inspecting his auburn ones. Tomoyo inwardly rejoiced, her happiness only short-lived due to the twinge of alarm that shot through her at the same moment.  
  
Syaoran's gaze hardened, his frown darkened, and he looked away to avoid her gaze. He hated being weak, but he hated being TREATED like he was weak even more...even though he WAS weak.  
  
He grumbled. "Stop..." his eyes widened, "...it." An icy gust of wind suddenly seemed to blow past him, go through him, flow through him. "Sakura...the card..." he murmured, the gush of coldness still sweeping through his body.  
  
"I know. Please, Syaoran-kun, let ME fight...er...I mean first," Sakura quickly added. Syaoran's auburn eyes had flashed towards her dangerously at the first phrase, and she bit her lip in defeat.  
  
Tomoyo almost flinched.  
  
Sakura looked around, aware of the people who were innocent of her magic, the people who would freak if the saw her actually DO magic.  
  
"Flush their brains out with the Erase or Memory or whatever after this," Syaoran advised, rather crossly. He was getting impatient, afraid the adrenaline will wear off before he could fight.  
  
"H-hai," Sakura said. His amber eyes scared her so badly, even though she knew she had the upper hand if they had a duel. His was the coldest glare she had ever known in her life!  
  
"Good, now let's go downstairs. No one goes there often," Syaoran instructed.  
  
They trooped downstairs. Sure enough, no one was there. The bottom of the glass pool was as beautiful as the upper portion, but there were fewer fishes.  
  
"It's here. I know it," Sakura piped up, unaware that Kero wasn't with her. She found out later she liked it better that way. "Ditto," Syaoran murmured, softly, his voice not even reaching her. Tomoyo taped the whole thing on the sidelines.  
  
Moments passed...  
  
Silence...  
  
Their attention slowly began to shift from fighting to the still beauty of the water, contained behind the transparent glass. It seemed to glow in its serene azure splendor, inviting them to admire it.  
  
"Sugoi..." Sakura breathed, watching a school of fishes swim past. Even Syaoran was mystified, everything else forgotten by the beauty of the water...  
  
Suddenly, something seemed to slice through the serenity.  
  
That one hint brought the three entranced spectators back to reality. Sakura could once again feel the tension, Syaoran could feel the surge of adrenaline flow through him, and Tomoyo's camera was once again poised in their general direction.  
  
There was a movement in the water again, and a vague, hazy shape appeared briefly, only to dissolve into invisibility again.  
  
"Watery," Syaoran concluded, after a moment of careful thinking.  
  
"WATERY? But how!?" Sakura cried. "Water is right.........here..." Her hand, which had reached into her pocket for her portable magical mediums, came out with a bunch of glossy pink Clow Cards, but not one of them was Water.  
  
Her eyes pierced Syaoran's in fright and realization. "You're right."  
  
"I know I am. But it's gone now. I think it felt its mistress and decided to evacuate."  
  
"What are going to do!?!?"  
  
"Search for it."  
  
"When?"  
  
"This evening."  
  
"But your fever...I haven't forgotten about that, Syaoran!!"  
  
Syaoran, although he was touched by her concern, was annoyed that she thought he was *shudder* w-e-a-k. "You don't have to care so don't," he said, softly, with a touch of defiance.  
  
A voice inside him suddenly piped, 'Hey, stop screaming at the sweetest girl in the world!'  
  
Syaoran, shutting the little voice out with a defensive 'I didn't scream!!' comeback, which was true anyways, turned his back and walked away, not bothering to wait for either girl. He didn't want them returning to his apartment with him. He had plans.  
  
* * *Syaoran's apartment* * *  
  
Syaoran twisted the knob open, feeling the fever's revenge on his stubbornness. He inwardly grumbled and wearily trudged to his room, the nauseous feverish feeling enveloping him, overwhelming and distracting.  
  
He gathered his strength and turned the knob. He couldn't see anything. All his vision offered him was blurry green shades, which he figured were supposed to be the features of his room.  
  
He vaguely remembered walking to the bed.  
  
And the green gave way to inky black.  
  
* * *Later* * *  
  
Syaoran woke up to a cold feeling of a Clow Card's presence. Every inch of him still burned with fever, but he stuck to his resolve to remain strong.  
  
The moon was bright, shining through vast, clear navy blue. Stars dotted the delicate display, some lost wispy clouds still hanging here and there.  
  
These details, of course, weren't given the time to be appreciated.  
  
Undeterred by his worsening condition, Syaoran grabbed his ball and tassel, transformed it into his faithful sword and changed into his battle robes.  
  
Not bothering to tell Wei where he was going and unaware that he hadn't had any dinner, he jumped out the window, thoughts of Clow Cards and Sakura filling his mind. He vaguely wondered what Tomoyo cooked up for Sakura to wear this time, but he was more concentrated on plans of preserving strength and keeping conscious.  
  
A Clow Card in 'Aqua Splash Resort' awaited him...and, more importantly, Sakura was there.  
  
* * *ASR* * *  
  
"HOEEEEEEE!!!!!!!" Sakura screamed.  
  
"Ssshh, it's only me," Syaoran softly reprimanded, emerging from the shadows from where he'd entered.  
  
"Syaoran-kun, why'd you come--I mean...you're here!" Sakura stammered. She gave a sheepish little giggle. Apparently, she hadn't expected him to come. He took it as a personal offense.  
  
Tomoyo was once again happily recording his arrival on tape, her wavy locks secured into a high ponytail. She was happy, of course, that Syaoran came, but unhappy as well, because his fever might prevent sweet S+S moments from shining through. Oh, she cared that he might collapse or something dangerous might happen... Like mentioned, she wasn't heartless. Syaoran was her friend just like he was Sakura's. She was worried about his fever, too!  
  
"You aren't fighting alone," Syaoran told Sakura, after a moment of silence. For some reason, he didn't sound cold or distant for her. Instead of the message he wanted to relay (to conceal his surfacing feelings), which was 'I'll get this one and not you', what Sakura received was 'We'll bring this Card down together'.  
  
Later on, Syaoran realized that this was the reason why she suddenly smiled.  
  
Once again, Sakura was sporting another weird get-up, he noted. Syaoran couldn't find words to describe it. All he knew was that it was fancy, it was blue, and it had a matching fancy, blue headpiece to match, with a touch of Chinese style to it that he found he liked.  
  
He shook his head a little as her features blurred suddenly.  
  
"Get ready," Syaoran said, dismissing the magical moment of intense staring at her beauty and the queer prettiness of the dress on her for future recollection. Besides, the blurring of his vision ruined the whole thing. "It's here."  
  
"Hai," Sakura said, her voice still tinged with worry. Her emerald eyes flicked back to glance at him ever so often, and he found his heart bumping around beneath his ribcage, adding to his discomfort. Finally, he said, "What is it?"  
  
"Syaoran, I..." Sakura paused, bit her lip, and cast her eyes down. After a moment, she said, "Syaoran-kun...please be careful."  
  
Syaoran shifted his gaze towards the water again and didn't reply.  
  
"Syaoran-kun..." Sakura murmured, downhearted at the lack of response. She turned to her key, stretched her palm, and was about to chant, when Syaoran said:  
  
"I will. Stop worrying."  
  
He earned Sakura's smile again. Seconds later, her voice echoed through the resort, ringing with her signature sweet note.  
  
"RELEASE!!"  
  
* * * tbc  
  
Lchan: Okay, I made 'Aqua Splash' up. I'm sorry if this chapter isn't good enough for your tastes, or doesn't quite reach your standards. Bear with me. Please don't stop reviewing. I'm still deciding what would happen during the fight. Ideas, anyone? No flames please. I mean it. Just tell me what you think. No cussing necessary. Okay? Okay. 


	4. Feeling the Water's Splash

Lchan: Damn!! Sorry for that unfathomable jumble of letters and numeros and symbols in the end. I mean, I really didn't know...  
  
Anyway...  
  
Waiiiii!!! Thanks a lot, you lovable people, you!! Oh, and I forgot to say thanks to Jared for telling me about the anonymus-reviews-problem. You're right. I didn't know! T.Y.!! As for their ages, Kita-chan...I think I'm sticking to their 10-year-old selves.  
  
Thanks a lot again! Please don't stop reviewing!! And kindly PLEASE remember...I hate flames. BTW, people, it's going to be Watery Card at times, Water at others. But more on Watery. I'm still not sure about that name-dilemma-thing...oh well. Uhm...okay, read on!! Again, I'm sorry if this isn't too good. Don't flame!!  
  
III-Feeling the Water's Splash  
  
Tomoyo let out a rare little yell when the pool's water rose like a fountain before them, spraying her and both fighters with droplets of chlorinated liquid.  
  
"It's Water all right," Syaoran murmured, his hold on the sword tightening as he took his stance.  
  
"Syaoran...Syaoran-kun...onegai..." Sakura said, biting her lip. "Don't fight just yet, please."  
  
Syaoran's amber eyes flicked towards her with that irritated air again, and then softened slightly. He closed them. "I already said I'll be careful," he said, quietly, firmly.  
  
Sakura bit her lip. "But, I---hoeeeee!!!!" she screamed. Watery, impatient from watching their unattentiveness and mushy exchange of words, had decided to tease its mistress with a late shower.  
  
"Oh, darn!!" Syaoran reprimanded himself, snapping back to attention.  
  
"I'm okay," Sakura piped up quickly, regaining her composure. Already, her overly fancy cheongsam that still looks good despite the fanciness was soaked with water.  
  
The fountain that had risen into the air had taken the shape of a beautiful woman, the water doing a perfectly magical job in every graceful curve of her features.  
  
She was formed right in the middle of the oval-shaped pool, her still pose, her expressionless face, the silvery glimmer of the water she was made of giving her an air of sweet serenity.  
  
The three children could feel the breeze and the spray coming from her...or rather...it. The aura that flowed around it erased all other positive first impressions.  
  
It was stronger than Sakura or Syaoran had ever remembered it to be.  
  
Sakura, having regained her composure, raised her wand.  
  
"Watery! Return to your powers confined--Syaoraaaaaannn!!!!!" she shrieked, cutting off the spell. Water, knowing well it was about to be "confined" again, had attacked its mistress with a wave of its powerful magic, inwardly laughing at the stupidity of her move.  
  
"Sakura!!" Syaoran shouted.  
  
"Sakura-chan!!!" Tomoyo squealed.  
  
The Watery Card splashed back down into the pool, hiding beneath the ripples.  
  
Sakura crashed into the wall that surrounded the pool with a loud-- "Ooooowww!!!" She slid to the ground, gasping for breath.  
  
"Sakura!! You okay!?!? You have to fight it before sealing it!!!" Syaoran shouted.  
  
Sakura raised her eyes to his. "I know, I--hoeeeee!!!" Watery was aiming to hit her again. She shut her emerald eyes in fright and screamed, her hand tightening on her wand as she curled against the wall.  
  
"SAKURA-CHAN, WATCH OUT!!!!!!!!!" Tomoyo screamed. "Syaoran!! Do something, please!!!!"  
  
Syaoran cursed under his breath at his stupidity (again) and rushed to Sakura's aid. He stopped before her, shielding her from Watery's attack, and, his grip strong on his sword's handle, sliced through the current.  
  
"Arigato, Syaoran-kun," Sakura said, softly, but Syaoran was already rushing off to do his own fighting and didn't get to hear her thanks.  
  
She stood up and steadied herself, watching him as he ran to the suddenly- still water's edge. The silence was deafening. Water had retreated back below the surface, and she didn't know when it was coming to attack again.  
  
Syaoran could almost feel his fever, his temperature rising, but he shook off the feeling. He knew perfectly well that he was going to feel its furious revenge on him later on what with his ignoring it and everything, but now was not the time to back out of fighting.  
  
He closed his eyes and tried to feel the Card's next attack. Was it going to attack him or Sakura? From which side of the pool? What kind of attack?  
  
Suddenly, a swirling water fountain rose from the pool. Syaoran's eyes snapped open. Was it going for Sakura!?  
  
Sure enough, Sakura again screamed as the swirling attack went straight for her.  
  
"Sakura, use the Shield Card!!!" Syaoran yelled, his heart pounding, watching her as she stayed paralyzed, not knowing what to do or how to react.  
  
"Hai! Shield Card!!!!" Sakura immediately shouted, her voice still ringing with terror but with a touch of readiness brought by Syaoran's call, and the card obediently formed around her.  
  
Still, Watery's attack went straight for her, and she prayed that Shield would hold. Syaoran watched with rising anxiety, auburn eyes wide, radiating mixed emotions. But suddenly, just before the attack touched the barrier, it changed its course.  
  
"HOE!?" Sakura said, and then realized what, or rather, who the card was going for. "Syaoran-kun!!!!"  
  
Syaoran's heart pounded against his ribcage at the approaching danger, eyes wide with shock. "What the--?"  
  
"Shield Card!! Protect Syaoran! Now!" he heard Sakura's desperate yell in the background, but it was too late.  
  
He felt his body being carried by the strong current straight for the nearest wall. There was no wall, however, lucky for him. But there WAS a wooden picnic table with poles on the corners to hold up the roof there to break his bones.  
  
'Hey, at least she's okay...'  
  
He felt his back hit the table, the impact bringing with it a searing pain that wasn't alien to him. He had passed his training with worse injuries, but that didn't mean he was actually immune to pain.  
  
The picnic table with its little roof collapsed on him, cutting him in places. But what REALLY hurt most was the impact as his back slammed into it and the shock it provided for his weak system.  
  
Watery watched all this not without disappointment. It noted Syaoran's weakened aura from all the times they'd crossed during battle or the times when it saw the boy's full spunk when fighting.  
  
"SYAORAN-KUN!!!!" Sakura screamed.  
  
Syaoran fell to the ground. He murmured something incoherent and raised the hand that held his sword, using it to steady himself as he stood up.  
  
"Are you okay?" Sakura asked, worriedly.  
  
"Ah."  
  
He felt her cool hand brush his forehead again, but he just looked away and let her.  
  
"Syaoran..."  
  
Tomoyo cut that moment off when she suddenly screamed, "Look out, you two!!!"  
  
Syaoran raised his amber eyes to look past Sakura's shoulder, and saw another swirling mass of water heading for them.  
  
'This move is getting old,' he thought, vaguely, grabbing Sakura and pulling her out of the attack's way.  
  
Water, furious at the boy's quick thinking, followed their direction in a swift change of tactics.  
  
"What the--? Why's it following us!?" Syaoran said, when the mass of chlorine and water also swerved when they did. "What's happening? Sakura, hurry up!!" he shouted, pulling at her hand. He led them through a crazy route around the tables, past the showers, around the pool, and back to the tables again, but he couldn't lose the Card.  
  
Every limb complained about the strain, but he ran on anyway, adrenaline being his only source of strength to keep him from blacking out.  
  
"K'so!" he muttered, stopping and turning around after another crazy lap around the whole area.  
  
He raised his sword and held it in front of him to break the water's endless stream, straining his aching muscles to protect the card mistress and himself. He bit his lip to keep conscious, damp, slipping hands tightening on his sword's handle. His blurry vision didn't help things, and the feeling of utter coldness made him want to shiver.  
  
At one time, he became too conscious of the overwhelming feeling of exhaustion that beckoned him to relax that he let his guard down for just a moment. A wave of water washed over him, and he fought to stay back on track and concentrate.  
  
Sakura yelped when she saw this. "Uhm...FLY CARD!!!" she screamed.  
  
There was a magical glow behind Syaoran as Sakura's wand sprouted wings. Still, he kept his grip strong, hardly conscious of Sakura's released magic.  
  
"Sakura!?" he called. "Hey, what the--?"  
  
Sakura roughly grabbed his arm and urged Fly to carry them away. Syaoran clambered to get a good seat behind her and tried to avoid Watery's raging blasts that continued to follow them in the air.  
  
"Hoe!! Hoe, hoe!! HOEEEE!!!" Sakura exclaimed, with every water splash that tried to reach them.  
  
They zigzagged through the air, carefully avoiding all the water blasts.  
  
"Oh, dammit!!!" Syaoran yelped, as a strong current slammed into his body.  
  
"Waiii! Gomen, Syaoran-KUUUUUN!!!!!" Sakura screamed, as a big wave swelled in front of her. She swerved to the side, almost knocking them off the air.  
  
At some point, Sakura had to go low to avoid the rising attacks, and just when they did, Watery closed over them, carrying both Sakura and Syaoran below the pool, the chlorinated liquid closing over their heads.  
  
Sakura screamed underwater. Syaoran almost choked. They pulled their heads above surface and gasped for air.  
  
"Sakura-chan!! Syaoran-kun!!!" Tomoyo shrieked.  
  
"I'll use the Freeze Card!" Sakura said, with a sudden flash of inspiration from her earlier battles.  
  
"Are you kidding!?" Syaoran yelped. "We'll freeze!! We're in Watery- territory, remember!?" Of course, he didn't need the Freeze Card to freeze. The water was more than enough to make his teeth chatter.  
  
"Um...THUNDER!?" Sakura suggested, clearly panicking.  
  
"We'll get electrocuted!!" Syaoran exclaimed.  
  
"Firey!?!?"  
  
"It won't work!"  
  
"Maybe it'll boil!"  
  
"And we're in the kettle!!" Syaoran responded. He gasped for more air, his lungs never satisfied. Suddenly, a realizition struck him. "What the--? Where's my sword!?" he asked Sakura, eyes wide.  
  
"I don't know! My wand's here--hoe!!!!" Sakura shrieked, sighting the sword by the edge of the pool where Syaoran had dropped it as they plummeted down into the water. "There!!"  
  
Tomoyo rushed towards the sword to hand it to Syaoran. She gingerly picked it up and stretched over the water.  
  
"Dammit!" Syaoran cursed, swimming towards her, his body numb with the cold.  
  
Suddenly, just before his hand could touch the blade, the water in front of him rose, enveloping him in a suffocating hold. It rose like a vertical whirlpool high up, making his struggles for air futile.  
  
"Syaoran-kun!!!!" Sakura screamed. "SYAORAN!!!! SYAOOOORAAAANNNN!!!!" Totally panicked, she thrashed around in the water, not knowing what to do. "Doshiyo, Tomoyo-chan!? DOSHIYO!?!??! Syaoran-kun!!!!"  
  
"Sakura-chan..." Tomoyo whispered, aggravated by her uselessness.  
  
Both she and Sakura watched Syaoran get paler and paler, his gasps for air only suffocating him more. His wide amber eyes sighted Sakura and, with a flash of his heroic instinct, he again tried to make it to the side of the swirling water pillar.  
  
"Sa...Sakura..." he gasped out, as he managed to break out for a second and he was sucked to the center again.  
  
"SYAORAN-KUN!!!" Sakura replied, emerald eyes wide with panic. "What is it!?!? WHAT IS IT!?!?"  
  
Syaoran screamed while still in the water. "Use the Freeze Card, use the Freeze Card!!" he yelled, big bubbles framing his face, his amber eyes wide with panic and desperation.  
  
"WHAT!?" Sakura screamed, unable to comprehend his words. Tears started to well up in her eyes. "Syaoran-kun!! Doshiyo!?" she wailed.  
  
Syaoran, with another successful attempt to stick his head out, shouted, "Freeze!! Freeze it!!!" before he was sucked in again.  
  
"But, you'll freeze along with it!! Syaoran-kun, IIE!!! You'll freeze!!! I won't do it!! I WON"T!! I know you still have that fever! I can't do it!!" Sakura cried, tears starting to stream down her cheeks at the thought of his sacrifice.  
  
"DO IT!!!!!!!!" Syaoran shouted, the last of his breath and the remains of his strength leaving him. He choked on the water as it filled his lungs and suffocated him. His vision blurred. He was seeing double. The swirling water started to blot out from his view.  
  
Sakura swam for the side of the pool, hoisting her tired, wet body from the water as quickly as she could.  
  
"Use it, Sakura-chan, it's the only way!!" Tomoyo screamed.  
  
A tear slid down her best friend's face as she pulled out the miraculously dry Clow Card from her pocket. "Freeze Card...freeze Watery...NOW!!" she commanded, tears blurring her vision as they trickled down her face.  
  
Just as Syaoran was about to fall unconscious, he saw Sakura reluctantly slam her wand down on the Freeze Card. He gave a small smile at her bravery.  
  
'Aishiteru...'  
  
And that was when he finally collapsed.  
  
* * * tbc  
  
Lchan: Did it suck!? I'm sorry if it did...really. Don't flame me!!!!!! Onegai!!! Oh, and thanks VERY much to sakurakawaiicherry for telling me about that symbols-numbers-letters problemo. It's my fault. I didn't click preview to check if the download/upload was okay... 


	5. Melting Facades

Lchan: Hi and thanks!! Again. I'm sorry if the previous chapter didn't satisfy your cravings for mush, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway. This chapter is made up of mush, drama, mush, and magic...and mush, too, by the way.  
  
Uhm...I actually dunno what's gonna happen next. I'm thinking this up as I go along. Don't stop reviewing. Comments, compliments, wha'evah...welcome-- so long as I won't get the idea that you're flaming me (meaning no "your fic @%$!@3!!" statements). Erm...ideas welcome too.  
  
Caution: Sakura's lines are basically just made up of "I'M's" and "SORRIES" and "GOMENNASAI's" and "SYAORAN's". Pretty boring. More on mush.  
  
Uhm...if you still feel like reading...be my guest.  
  
IV-Melting Facades  
  
"Watery! Return to your powers confined!! WATERY!!" Sakura slammed her wand down on the glowing card that formed beneath the beak.  
  
Watery, frozen and defeated, extracted itself from Freeze's grasp and, with another magical performance of masses of swirling water, was locked once more under Sakura's authority.  
  
Sakura weakly called Freeze back, too, as soon as Watery was confined. "Thanks..." she whispered, before the last streaks of white ice dissolved into a part of the Clow Cards Collection.  
  
Syaoran dropped down into the pool's slush, having been freed from his frozen cage, which had left him hanging in midair as soon as it disappeared.  
  
SPLASHHH!!!!  
  
Water sprayed over Tomoyo and her thankfully waterproof camera. She stood shocked by the poolside, on the same spot where she'd tried to hand Syaoran his sword. She still held it, grip tight on the handle. She'd only barely managed to capture the action on tape, fear washing over her the whole time.  
  
"Sa...Sakura...chan..." she whispered, amethyst eyes wide. "I...I'm sorry...I..." She didn't finish her sentence, ashamed at her uselessness. She dropped to her knees and reached over the water, grabbing Syaoran's soaked sleeve, which was floating near. She gathered her strength and tried to pull him to her.  
  
Sakura, stunned and confused, once again burst into tears. "Syaoran-kun!!!" she screamed, dropping her wand as she ran towards the pool, where Tomoyo was desperately trying to pull Syaoran closer.  
  
Almost without thinking, Sakura pushed her away and jumped into the water, her arms encircling Syaoran's torso as soon as she reached him. She hugged him close, tears streaking down her face.  
  
"Syaoran-kun...Syaoran-kun, I'm so sorry...gomennasai...gomennasai..."  
  
Tomoyo rose to her feet from where Sakura had shoved her. She started to cry too, sympathy, hurt, and fear overcoming her strong facade. Silently, a tear slid down her porcelain cheeks. She lifted her camera and pressed the record button, hiding the turmoil of emotions she felt from the world behind the lens.  
  
* * *later* * *  
  
Syaoran stirred and coughed out water, his eyes fluttering open. They were blank at first, then recognition settled in...and finally...emotions...  
  
"Sakura..." he murmured, weakly, almost lapsing back into unconsciousness before all the memories came rushing back to him, snapping him awake.  
  
Sakura's wide, frightened eyes looked into his. "Syaoran-kun!! Syaoran- kun..." then she bit her lip, fresh tears coursing down her face. "Syaoran, I'm so sorry!!!" She hugged him again, tighter this time.  
  
Pain shot through his head, coursed through every part of him, and strained every muscle at the tightness of her squeeze. The last of the adrenaline faded away. His energy was drained and his strength used up.  
  
His confused amber eyes pierced Sakura's emerald pools, searching for answers and information. She buried her head into his shoulder.  
  
"It's over...it's all over..." Sakura cried, her tears cascading down her cheeks. "And I'm so sorry about the...about the...the last part, I...I'm sorry!!" she wailed, her arms tightening around his neck again. He let her without yelping, and refused to collapse again.  
  
He had been lying on the pavement, every part of him soaked with water and burning with fever. He could still feel the intense cold of the Freeze Card's power, the wind steadily torturing him and making everything worse with its icy gusts.  
  
He winced against her grip, unable to hide it any longer. He needed air. Oxygen. His breathing was labored. Everything felt so wrong. Another wave of coldness washed over him, chilling him to the core.  
  
Sakura sensed his discomfort and immediately pulled away, scared that she had hurt him physically. "Oh, sorry," she murmured, almost sheepishly.  
  
Syaoran tried to relax a little, tried to breathe more evenly, and even almost smiled, but he didn't have the energy. Normal breathing would mean less air, and he needed oxygen.  
  
There was a short stretch of silence before Syaoran finally spoke through clenched teeth.  
  
"That...that was cold..." he whispered, referring to his interlude with the Freeze Card.  
  
"I...I know that, but...but there was no other way...I...you said..." Sakura broke off her whimpers and bit on her lip. "Syaoran-kun, gomennasai..." she disconsolately settled to whisper. She closed her eyes and wept, her wet auburn hair hiding her eyes, her voice breaking. "I didn't mean to...to...to finish it this way...I really can't be any sorrier than now, Syaoran..."  
  
There was a whisper, hardly audible, incoherent, but with every syllable holding a special note, demanding attention. "Sakura...it's okay...don't cry...you *wince*...were really...brave..."  
  
Sakura watched in horror as his green aura slowly faded. Her hand caressed his forehead again. There was a slight gasp. Fresh tears formed in her eyes.  
  
"WHY CAN'T I DO ANYTHING RIGHT!?!?" she screamed into the night. Then she buried her face in her hands. "Why did I act so...stupid!? I could have used Freeze before we fell into the pool! I could have just used my head instead of relying on your good sense..."  
  
She continued to ramble on about her "I could haves," endless tears slipping down her face. They just wouldn't stop.  
  
"And I could have used my nonexistent common sense to predict its moves! I could have stayed calm and not panicked, I could have kept you from fighting while I had the chance, and...and...and I could have just...I could have prevented this mess..."  
  
She broke down crying.  
  
Syaoran was disappointed with himself. There he was in the past thinking he could be of some help, feeling all-heroic...and in the end...it all came down to him being a burden and making her cry... It sickened him.  
  
"Please, Sakura...it wasn't your fault..."  
  
* * *Tomoyo* * *  
  
In her hands, Tomoyo became aware of Syaoran's sword. The blade was shiny, droplets of water making it glisten as the moonlight reflected on its surface.  
  
As Syaoran's aura faded, there was a slight feeling in her hand that seemed to call her to look at it. So she looked. And as she did, the sword glowed.  
  
Her other hand, which held the camera, raised the gadget to her eye. It was the first time she'd ever recorded herself, but it felt almost like she had her own magic that she couldn't resist the urge to save the memory.  
  
Syaoran's magic, which had made the sword transform from ball-and-tassel into a fighting blade, was slowly wearing off. His energy wasn't sufficient enough to keep it that way.  
  
Tomoyo raised her hand and held the glimmering sword in front of her. "Sugoi..." she breathed. And right before her curious, amethyst eyes, it transformed back into ball and tassel.  
  
* * *Sakura 'n' Syaoran again* * *  
  
Sakura's face blurred in front of Syaoran, this time worse than ever. He felt darkness start to settle down upon him again. Voices blended into one sound. Colors dissolved into the vast black void that would soon envelop him.  
  
"Sakura..."  
  
Sakura-chan, my bodyguards are here...  
  
Gomennasai...Syaoran...  
  
Sakura-chan...let's go...  
  
Syaoran...hold on...  
  
He dimly saw Sakura being held back by Tomoyo. She was crying. He couldn't see anything clearly, but he could feel her going farther. Her soothing aura was slowly moving away.  
  
'No!' his mind screamed. "Sakura..." he called, in a sudden surge of panic that brought hints of adrenaline coursing through him again. His voice snapped Sakura back to attention.  
  
"Syaoran!?"  
  
Tomoyo's bodyguards were approaching.  
  
She broke from Tomoyo's hold. Tomoyo whipped the camera back into action, lifting it to her eyes quickly. Her finger pressed hard on the record button.  
  
"Sakura..." Syaoran breathed, resisting the rest that the black void offered. "Sakura..."  
  
"What is it, Syaoran-kun?" she asked, softly, every syllable urging him to answer.  
  
Syaoran didn't know how it came out. He didn't know where it came from. All he knew was that it caused Sakura's hand to tightly grip his own.  
  
"Sakura...stay with me..."  
  
* * * tbc  
  
Lchan: Okay, that was short. I'm stalling. I know...it was boring, right? Right!? *bursts into tears* I know, I know!! But what I DON'T know is what's gonna happen next!!! Help!! Where should they take Syaoran? I'm planning...to Tomoyo's house. Tell me watcha think! What's gonna happen there!? Ideas, PLEASE!!! Predictions, opinions, more plot, anything!! Thankees!!!! 


	6. Sakura's Dilemma

Lchan: People, I luv you SOOOOOO much!!  
  
To whom this may concern:  
  
Since the title is "Choices" this will be about, well, choices! So Syaoran got to choose between living and fighting. Sakura will now have to choose between Syaoran and Tomoyo. Sakura's a little OOC here (BAAAAD Sakura!!). Let's say she's just WAY too touchy after the fight.  
  
I luv you, peeps!!   
  
V-Sakura's Dilemma  
  
"Hora, Sakura-chan. Here's your wand."  
  
"Arigato, Tomoyo-chan...is that Syaoran-kun's sword?"  
  
"It needs his magic to work, but yes...it is his sword...in ball and...STRINGS form...Uhm...to the hospital please, Yumi--"  
  
"No!! Please, let's go to YOUR place, Tomoyo-chan."  
  
"But, Sakura...we have no doctors there. Syaoran needs help and if we can get the best medical care for him we'll get it. That means the hospital..."  
  
Sakura stubbornly shook her head. "No...just no." She leaned forward in her seat and tapped the lady-bodyguard-driver's shoulder. "To MY house, please," she said.  
  
"No! Touya and Kero will kill him!!" Tomoyo cried out. "Home please, Yumi- san." She flashed Sakura a pleading look. "Sakura-chan, please... I just..."  
  
"He doesn't like hospitals!!" Sakura defended, flashing Tomoyo a look which she had never used on her best friend before. "I don't want him to wake up not liking where he is!!"  
  
"Okay, okay, I understand."  
  
"I can only WISH that you really do..."  
  
"I do! Swear! But you know he still needs a doctor."  
  
"I know. But he'll make it. I know he will."  
  
"I didn't say he won't."  
  
"...Sou..."  
  
Tomoyo bit her lip, cast her amethyst eyes down and considered what Sakura had said. Then her gaze hardened as she weighed her side with her best friend's. She raised her eyes.  
  
"He could die of hypothermia, Sakura! Haven't you even thought about that!?"  
  
"He's NOT going to die!" Sakura wailed. "You hear me!? He's not, NOT going to die!! You're being such a pessimist! I thought you'd help me through this!! And now all you're offering me is that Syaoran might DIE!?!? What's up with you!?!? I thought you were my best friend, but now I get the feeling that you don't even care!!"  
  
Tomoyo bit her lip as tears welled up in her eyes. This was too much. She was just trying her best to help. She didn't need her best friend shouting at her. She didn't need to be shoved to the side because she was trying to pull Syaoran out of the water. She didn't need to be glared at because she was sympathizing!!  
  
A turmoil of emotions brought out her harsh retort.  
  
"It's YOU who doesn't care, Kinomoto Sakura!! I can't believe you didn't know that I CARE!? After all those years you DIDN'T KNOW!?!? Don't be blind...don't ACT blind!  
  
"I care about you--that you're emotionally and physically hurt, and that's why I'm in this stupid car with you offering you a ride to the hospital!! I care that Syaoran might die of hypothermia because I don't want to lose him any more than you do! I care about our friendship and that's why I'm doing my best to help!!"  
  
She stopped to catch her breath, but her emotions ran wild.  
  
"I care about you just as much as I care about Syaoran--but YOU!! When have you ever shown you cared!?!? Because you cry over him!? Yeah, that's real caring alright. But to ME. ME, your supposed-to-be best friend! You scream my name when I get accidentally involved in your adventures and that's it!?!? Oh yeah. You do care. But what about NOW!? Don't I even matter to you at this moment!? How I feel!?!? How I'm praying with all my might that's he's NOT going to die as well...? Don't you get it? Can't you see that!? Just that. Just that tiny detail...you couldn't even see that?  
  
"I once thought that you were cute all dense and innocent like that...and you looked good in my costumes...I had fun sewing...I liked seeing my works worn by a girl who can put them to good use and can move as good as you can. But you're not just being dense right now, and neither are you being innocent. You're just...you're just being--"  
  
She tore her heliotrope eyes away and choked down the rest of her words. "Please, Sakura...don't act blind..." she finally murmured instead.  
  
And she broke off into deeply offended sobs.  
  
Sakura's tears had started to fall again at the sight of her best friend's pained face, deep hurt and anger flooding the normally radiant amethyst eyes. "T-Tomoyo-chan..." She reached out a hand and touched her friend's shoulder. "I'm sorry--"  
  
Tomoyo jerked away from her touch and averted her eyes from Sakura's guilty gaze, covering her face with her hands.  
  
"Tomoyo-chan, I'm so sorry..."  
  
But Tomoyo wouldn't turn back around and refused to listen, her tears flowing endlessly.  
  
Tomoyo's House   
  
"Tomoyo, please...I didn't mean to hurt you..."  
  
Tomoyo ignored her. But even thooough she might be spiteful, her voice didn't betray it. In fact, she spoke to Yumi in her usual sweet tones, addressing Sakura with no less affection as well. But there was something in her that changed. Sakura knew that, for the affection sounded somewhat hollow...  
  
"Yumi, please get Syaoran," the violet-eyed beauty requested, her voice light and airy. "He'll be staying with us for the night. So is Sakura. He'll be staying in the guest room beside MY room. Sakura will sleep in the other room beside his. Please get the rooms ready. Lots of blankets and mats for Li-kun's, okay?"  
  
"Hai, Daidouji-san. But...Sakura-san won't be sleeping in your room?"  
  
"No, Yumi, she's not. The extra bed is...unavailable."  
  
"I'll find another one in no time."  
  
"No, I don't want to trouble you anymore than I already have. But thank you anyway..."  
  
"Anytime, Tomoyo-san."  
  
Tomoyo turned to Sakura. "Syaoran's there." She gestured towards the bodyguard who had Syaoran in her arms. "You know where he'll be sleeping. You heard."  
  
Tomoyo had avoided Sakura's eyes the whole time she talked. She turned her back to go when Sakura caught her wrist.  
  
"Tomoyo-chan, please!" she pleaded. "I can't sleep unless you forgive me!!"  
  
Tomoyo just gave her a soft, empty smile and gently pulled her wrist from her grasp. Her amethyst eyes softened slightly. "Oyasuminasai, Sakura." And she walked away.  
  
Sakura almost cried. She wasn't stupid not to notice that her name had lost that special 'chan' that signified their closeness in Tomoyo's recently updated vocabulary. She couldn't believe how messed up that evening was. She'd just used Freeze on Syaoran and now she drove her best friend away...  
  
She was so stupid! How could she have le something like this happen to her and her friends??  
  
A soft moan from behind her called her attention, and she whipped her head back. All thoughts of Tomoyo flew out of her mind. "Syaoran-kun!!!"  
  
Tomoyo, eyes covered by her smooth black tresses, stood just inside the doorway, leaning exhaustedly against the wall. She could feel Sakura's gaze as she left, heard the moments of silence that Sakura used to clear her head, and listened when Syaoran's name once again rent the air...  
  
Tomoyo's heavily lashed eyes closed to keep more tears from falling. Her friendship with Sakura was falling apart. She knew that. Maybe Sakura didn't, but she did.  
  
Because with Syaoran around, to Sakura, Tomoyo knew she was nonexistent.  
  
Morning   
  
Tomoyo creaked the door to Syaoran's room open as silently as she could. He was on the bed, covered with layers of thick blankets to keep him warm.  
  
Hypothermia was a cold death. Brain going all confused and all...just giving up at the irregularity of your lowering blood pressure, probably wondering 'hey, it's so cold; is this body dead?' Then it would think that if it had no more body to keep on caring for, then what's the use for it to go on trying? And it would just shut down, not even knowing of its master's heavy, frozen struggle...  
  
Syaoran's case was a bit more complicated. He had a burning fever right before fighting. The combat and exhaustion of using strength and magic made his temperature rise dramatically. And then there was that sudden plunge into the icy water, and the frozen moments with the Freeze Card...  
  
Nobody was sure how he would end up...or where...  
  
Now he was just there, fast asleep, making little progress from his predicament the night before. The only consolation was the fact that he was still breathing, but it was too meager to lift enough tension. He was dressed in a loose, white, long sleeved shirt and baggy, white, cotton pants. He was paler than ever, but he had somehow regained that don't-pity- me-don't-look-don't-touch sort of aura that had always enveloped him. His chestnut hair was messily displayed across his forehead, sweeping the pillow as he occasionally thrashed about.  
  
Tomoyo offered Syaoran a silent prayer and closed the door, her eyes dropping with it. Then a familiar voice called out to her, and she snapped up.  
  
"Ohayo, Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura said cheerily, stepping out from the room next to his.  
  
Tomoyo hesitated. She was still offended at what Sakura had accused her of the evening before...but...she didn't want to loose Sakura completely. There was no use making the situation worse than it already was by shouting her heart out to her best friend, who would most probably cry and try to make amends, and then their nose could wake up Syaoran and make him even sicker...  
  
Expressing her feelings wasn't worth all that...so she let go of her anger, temporarily...or maybe she just kept it in. Either way, she managed to look Sakura in the eye.  
  
"Ohayo," she replied, sweetly, trying to sound as convincingly thrilled as she could. "Breakfast is ready downstairs. Let's go?"  
  
Sakura paused. "...Is Syaoran-kun okay?"  
  
Tomoyo's smile didn't waver. "Fine."  
  
"Is he awake yet?"  
  
"No. Soon."  
  
And she went off, her black tresses waving behind her as if demonstrating a valediction.  
  
Sakura could hardly keep from crying. "Tomoyo-chan..." She bit her lip. She glanced towards Syaoran's door and then flicked her confused emerald eyes in the general direction of Tomoyo's departure.  
  
Breakfast with Tomoyo? That's good. But what about Syaoran!? She wanted to see him too!  
  
'Why is this happening!?' she wondered. 'Why am I being made to choose between them!?!?' Sakura sniffed. 'Why do I have to face this!? Why can't I have both of them at once? I used to...didn't I?'  
  
Or maybe not.  
  
Flashback   
  
Syaoran dropped down into the pool's slush, having been freed from his frozen cage, which had left him hanging in midair as soon as it disappeared.  
  
SPLASHHH!!!!  
  
"Sa...Sakura...chan..." Tomoyo whispered, amethyst eyes wide. "I...I'm sorry...I..." She didn't finish her sentence, ashamed at her uselessness. She dropped to her knees and reached over the water, grabbing Syaoran's soaked sleeve, which was floating near. She gathered her strength and tried to pull him to her.  
  
Sakura, stunned and confused, once again burst into tears. "Syaoran-kun!!!" she screamed, dropping her wand as she ran towards the pool, where Tomoyo was desperately trying to pull Syaoran closer.  
  
Almost without thinking, Sakura pushed her away and jumped into the water, her arms encircling Syaoran's torso as soon as she reached him. She hugged him close, tears streaking down her face.  
  
"Syaoran-kun...Syaoran-kun, I'm so sorry...gomennasai...gomennasai!!"  
  
Tomoyo rose to her feet from where Sakura had shoved her. She started to cry too, sympathy, hurt, and fear overcoming her strong facade. Silently, a tear slid down her porcelain cheeks. She lifted her camera and pressed the record button, hiding the turmoil of emotions she felt from the world behind the lens.  
  
End of Flashback   
  
Sakura's heart felt heavy in her chest. Guilt and panic rushed into her heart, and she knew that the only way to let them out was to cry gallons of tears and make peace with everyone whom she'd caused pain.  
  
She leaned against the wall, eyes drowned in sorrow, already brimming with salty moisture. 'I guess I didn't really have them both at the same time. While with Tomoyo, I had Tomoyo. While with Syaoran, I had Syaoran. But while with Tomoyo AND Syaoran...I had...Syaoran-kun...because I...'  
  
'I'm so stupid!' she screamed silently. 'How could I have hurt her like that!? How could I have shouted at her, accusing her that she doesn't care when she so obviously does? I'm the one who doesn't care! I'm the one who's insensitive enough to allow her best friend to feel that kind of pain!! I'm so stupid, I'm so stupid, I'm so stupid!!'  
  
And she shook her head and berated herself silently, willing tears to keep from falling.  
  
'But Syaoran...I love him, too! Shouldn't Tomoyo understand that!? Syaoran- kun is important to me too!'  
  
And there Sakura stood in the corridor, contemplating and weighing both sides, never getting anywhere except making herself more and more confused.  
  
Tomoyo...or...Syaoran...? It was an impossible decision!!  
  
The idea of dining with someone whom she wasn't comfortable with wasn't very inviting. But it might be the key to repairing their friendship. Being with Syaoran would make her feel better, but she couldn't bear the thought of feeling those waves of guilt washing over her again.  
  
"Doshiyo...?" she murmured, a trickle of salt water at last dripping down her cheek.  
  
She shut her eyes tight to stop the rest from coming down...and then opened them, realizing another weakness: she was scared. She was afraid to solve her own problems. She just relied on time to heal everything.  
  
"Sakura, you fool..." she grumbled to herself, softly, her voice quavering. Then she took a tentative step towards Syaoran's door. She let her hand reach out and touch the cold, metal surface of the knob.  
  
"Am I doing the right thing?"  
  
She twisted the circular simple machine and gently pushed the intricately designed door open. She peeked inside the room, her emerald eyes shining with fear, hope and anxiety.  
  
"Syaoran-kun..."  
  
She started to take a step closer to him...but then stopped. 'Doshiyo!?!?' her mind wailed. She took a deep breath and stepped back. The door gave a loud slamming sound, which Sakura hadn't intended to produce as she let it close behind her.  
  
She bowed her head, thinking again, leaning against the closed door. She bit her lip and raised her head, coming, at long last, to a decision.  
  
'Just for a moment. I won't be long.'  
  
She gathered her courage and twisted the knob again, creaking the door open and sticking her pretty head inside.  
  
"Sakura?" Tomoyo called, her feet pounding the stairs. "Aren't you going to join...?" She stopped when she saw Sakura peering inside the Chinese boy's room. "Oh, I see...of course, I understand...I'll come by later to check on you two, okay?" And she took off.  
  
"Wait, Tomoyo-chan!! I'll be joining you for breakfast!!!!" Sakura called.  
  
"No!! I mean, no. You stay with Syaoran. He needs you more than I do." Tomoyo offered her a soft smile.  
  
Sakura couldn't smile back. "Tomoyo-chan...you're not hurt...are you?"  
  
Tomoyo's smile widened a little. "Not a bit. Ja ne." And she ran off.  
  
But Sakura knew Tomoyo was lying, and she didn't know what to do about it.  
  
Tomoyo collapsed in her chair and felt the tears coming back. Sakura was replacing her. She had Syaoran now. Best friends don't matter anymore.  
  
Tomoyo sighed. For once in her life, she passed up the chance to tape Syaoran and Sakura mush.  
  
tbc  
  
Lchan: Not much of a chapter, ne? I know. I'm sorry, minna. I let this chapter revolve around the Tomoyo-Syaoran conflict going on in Sakura's head. I'm suffering from a severe case of writer's block, so you see my dilemma. Well...I really didn't want to keep you people waiting, and once SEM break is over, I'll have less time updating this thing...please don't flame.  
  
Oh, and gomennasai to Goten1986!! 


	7. The Call, The Girl

Lchan: Um. I know. Weird chapter title. You'll figure it out while reading. Um, I'm putting in Eriol, okay, people? The cards aren't Sakura Cards yet, though. Uhm...okay. Anyway, please know that I put in characters I want to put in. If I don't feel like putting in Yukito, he's out...you know...like that.  
  
Anyway...hora. Here's the 6th chapter.  
  
VI-The Call, The Girl  
  
Tomoyo felt something cold wash over her.  
  
It was a sudden feeling, not brought about by any emotion she felt. Sakura's inconsideration couldn't possibly have this effect on her. It wasn't pain. Nor was it fear. It was just cold, filling her with unease.  
  
It was as if everything suddenly blurred and then came back to normal again. Like a wave of...something...came over her for just a few fleeting moments.  
  
She blinked. 'What was that?' she wondered. 'What's going on?' Her mind became a whirlwind of fear, suspicions, hurt, anger and unbearable curiosity as she brought back the uncomfortable sensation.  
  
RRRRIIINNGGG!!  
  
The sound of the phone's ringing jolted her back to reality.  
  
She picked up the cordless phone and held it to her ear. "Moshi, moshi. Tomoyo here."  
  
A voice that had a familiar mysterious hint to it greeted her. "Ohayo, Daidouji!"  
  
"Ah, Hiiragizawa-kun...ohayo."  
  
"I heard about what happened to my cute little descendant. How's he doing?"  
  
Tomoyo's eyebrows furrowed. "Before I answer that...um...may I ask you something?"  
  
"Are you expecting a straight answer?"  
  
"I'm hoping for one."  
  
"I'll try."  
  
"Ah, Hiiragizawa-kun...why do you call Li-kun cute?"  
  
"Because it makes him blush and then he gets really mad...and that's so hilarious--side-splitting really."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"So how's he?"  
  
Tomoyo's eyes narrowed playfully as his voice brought back memories. "Hmm...no one else in Tomoeda knows about it yet...and you're in England. You didn't HEAR anything about anyone...did you?" she asked, smiling.  
  
"Ah, Daidouji's endless questions..." Eriol chuckled.  
  
Tomoyo laughed.  
  
"No," Eriol admitted, and then a moment of silence passed, which he used to back up his answer. "Intuition, I guess."  
  
Tomoyo giggled. "Intuition!?"  
  
"I actually care about my cute little descendant, you know. And also my cute little descendant's beloved. And especially my cute little descendant's beloved's best friend..."  
  
Tomoyo laughed, although the 'best friend' thing stung her a little. But Eriol's voice was so calming she couldn't help but express her amusement. Besides, she liked the 'especially'...  
  
"Hey, it never hurts to care," Eriol defended.  
  
"Oh, so you CARE about us, hmm? Ohohoho..."  
  
"Hey, no asking Clow-Reed-reincarnations questions!!"  
  
"Oh...gomen ne, Clow-Reed-HALF-reincarnation-sama," Tomoyo said, her smile widening.  
  
She could hear the laughter in Eriol's voice as he once again popped up his first question. "So how's Syaoran?" he asked.  
  
"Cold."  
  
"Out cold or ice cold?"  
  
"Both cold."  
  
"Oh. But he'll live?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"And Sakura?"  
  
"She's okay."  
  
There was a pause in conversation.  
  
"So...how's Nakuru and Spinel?" Tomoyo asked.  
  
"They're fine..." and after a while, added, "I'm fine, too."  
  
"I don't remember asking," Tomoyo teased, her amethyst eyes glinting with happiness.  
  
"No, but you WANTED to," Eriol replied.  
  
"Oh I did?" Tomoyo retorted, frowning.  
  
Eriol cleverly replied, "No asking questions."  
  
Tomoyo laughed. "So, Hiiragizawa-kun, what's up there in England..."  
  
Sakura 'n' Syaoran   
  
Syaoran stirred a little.  
  
Sakura snapped to attention. "Syaoran-kun?"  
  
Syaoran's breathing became rapid, sweat dripped off his forehead as his hands clenched underneath the blankets.  
  
"Syaoran-kun!? Daijobu!?!?" Sakura yelped.  
  
Syaoran, of course, didn't respond, but he calmed down a little, though his breathing was still heavy, his eyebrows furrowed, his messy chestnut hair dampened with beads of perspiration.  
  
"Syaoran..."  
  
Syaoran   
  
Cold. Intense Cold. That's what I feel. Icy fire.  
  
Blurry pictures flash across my mind, tearing through that irritating black nothingness that's all around me. I can hear Sakura's voice a little, but never as clearly as I want it to be.  
  
I don't know how exactly I gave in to this stupid condition. No, wait. I didn't give in to it. I lost to it.  
  
I could've dealt with the fever alone, but that Freeze Card's sub-zero ice cube cage was too much to take. I was burning up, for crying out loud!! The coldness that caused our victory contrasted too much with it...  
  
It was my fault anyway. Why couldn't I have asked her to use the Freeze Card sooner? Yeah. I was stubborn. I have always been. I know that. I guess I'm just too much of a coward to ask for her help. I mean...it just looks too...weak.  
  
A sudden, magical aura hits me. The same familiar aura... What the heck...? Even HERE!? Clow Cards exist?!?  
  
I don't believe this...  
  
No. Wait. It's out there.  
  
Oh no.  
  
Sakura!  
  
Normal POV   
  
Tomoyo entered the room, amethyst eyes cast down once more. "Eriol called," she said, softly.  
  
Sakura raised her worried eyes from Syaoran's struggling figure and managed a smile. "Hoe? Honto ni? What did he say?" she asked.  
  
"He just wanted to check on Syaoran," Tomoyo answered, shortly.  
  
"Sou...and what did you say?"  
  
"That he's okay," Tomoyo replied.  
  
"That's good," Sakura said, nodding, maintaining her half-smile.  
  
Silence reigned over the room as both girls avoided each other's gazes. Tomoyo's eyes were cast down, her teeth digging into her lower lip. Sakura's stare was locked onto the purple-flecked bed sheet, the guilt of taking her best friend for granted coming back to her once more. She was trapped, sandwiched between the two people she had endangered and hurt.  
  
"Tomoyo-chan?" she said, her emerald green eyes shifting to look at Tomoyo.  
  
"Hai?"  
  
"I really am so sorry. I mean..."  
  
Tomoyo only shook her head. "Sakura...I don't want your apology," she said.  
  
"So you forgive me for yelling at you?" Sakura asked, hopefully.  
  
"I yelled back too, Sakura," Tomoyo replied. And then both girls were silent again, neither of them knowing what to say.  
  
Minutes passed, and still the room was quiet. Only Syaoran's soft but rapid breathing broke the stifling tranquility.  
  
Suddenly, there was a soft groan as Syaoran pushed himself up from the bed, his unruly chestnut hair once again overshadowing his serious amber eyes as he breathed in and breathed out, chest heaving.  
  
His hand came up to push his damp auburn locks from his face as pain shot through his head and coursed through every sore muscle. He winced, but refrained from crying out.  
  
His teeth felt like chattering, it cost all his stored strength to keep from shivering. Despite the mound of blankets covering him, the iciness of the Freeze Card seemed to have stayed locked inside his body, it was hard not to curl into a ball and cry.  
  
"Syaoran!!" Sakura yelled, alarmed. Tomoyo, too, stood up.  
  
Syaoran turned his brown eyes towards Sakura, taking a few moments to catch his breath before saying: "You feel it...don't you?" he gasped out. "You can sense it..."  
  
Sakura's emerald eyes were wide as she shook her head no. "Sy- Syaoran...kun..." she stammered.  
  
Tomoyo placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and locked her eyes into his. "Li-kun...you need rest. Lie back, okay? Just relax."  
  
Syaoran's eyebrows furrowed stubbornly, his eyes defiantly telling her no.  
  
Sakura placed a warm hand on his forehead and bit her lip. "Now he's too cold!!" she wailed. "Just yesterday he was too hot and now he's too cold!!!"  
  
Syaoran cursed silently. "Ah, forget the temperature," he lashed out, involuntarily exposing a slight shiver, which cut off his protests. He cast his amber eyes back to the sheets in alarm, determined to stay strong even though he wasn't.  
  
"Syaoran-kun? Syaoran, daijobu desu na?" Sakura asked.  
  
He flashed her a quick, hesitant half-glare, and then shut his eyes to escape the unbearable cold. He clenched his teeth and silently cursed.  
  
'K'so...'  
  
"You need rest, Syaoran-kun..." Tomoyo said, softly, as she pushed him backwards as gently as she could, easing his head back into the pillow. "Stay still."  
  
Syaoran struggled a little before finally giving in, and even then, his eyes still held that defiant, reproachful tinge...clear, held in anger. "Dammit," he murmured, as Sakura arranged the layers of blankets over him again.  
  
"Hoe? Did you say something, Syaoran-kun?" Sakura asked.  
  
Syaoran gazed at her for a few seconds before hardening and shifting his gaze towards the bedside table, his defiance and solitary atmosphere enveloping him again. "Iie..."  
  
Sakura, as if carefully thinking of what to reply but just couldn't decide, sat back down on her chair in defeat. Then she opened her mouth to say something. "I--" Then she stopped, as though re-thinking whether or not she should tell him that she didn't believe him. "Okay..." she relented at last, deciding not to torment him further. "I...uh--yeah...okay..." She gave up.  
  
And the room was silent again.  
  
Tomoyo relaxed too, watching for once without her camera as Sakura rested her head on the frame of the bed and as Syaoran gave in to easy sleep.  
  
Downstairs   
  
"No problems there? Spinel and Nakuru are driving me crazy."  
  
"Really? Well then, are you okay? No, wait. No questions, right?"  
  
"Actually, I was going to say I'm fine."  
  
"You seem to like answering all the easy questions."  
  
"And that's bad?"  
  
Tomoyo giggled. "Not really. Well...except for Syaoran and Sakura, we're absolutely a-ok."  
  
"Does 'we' include you?"  
  
Tomoyo considered telling him about her conflict with Sakura, and then decided not to. She wanted this problem to be HER problem and HER problem only. "Yes. That includes me."  
  
"I see...so I guess everything's okay there?" Eriol of course, knew something was up, but he didn't press her about it.  
  
"Oh, we manage."  
  
"Are you okay with managing?"  
  
"Still healthy."  
  
"Good. Keep it up," Eriol said, hints of ironically half-true sarcasm reaching Tomoyo over the line.  
  
"Well...you're always welcome to call, Hiiragizawa-kun...or should I call you?" Tomoyo's sweet voice replied. She smiled. His voice sounded so soothing.  
  
"No questions, Daidouji." Pause. "Well...later, then...Tomoyo," Eriol said, his mysterious air never failing to captivate her.  
  
"Sou...ja ne, Eriol-kun," she replied.  
  
"Yeah. Bye."  
  
Click.  
  
tbc  
  
Lchan: Okay, that was pretty short, ne? Oh well. That was a sort of introductory chapter to what's comin' up next. Okay, well...I'll give all y' people 'nother chappie tomorrow, 'kay? And I STILL hate flames. ;  
  
Okay, this dictionary is for you, people!!  
  
doshiyo - something like 'what should I do'  
  
sou - right  
  
gomennasai/gomen ne - I'm sorry  
  
ja ne - something like 'catch you later' 


	8. Tomoyo vs Daidouji

Lchan: This chapter's weird. I'm tellin' ya. I gave Syaoran a bit of strength here since I really don't want him to miss all the action just sleeping there. -- Oh well. Please read it. BTW, you might want to check back on chapter 4 to see the end of that fight...I repaired it!! Sorry, I really didn't know about it. I didn't click 'Preview' when I uploaded that...  
  
Hm-hm...  
  
Newayz...here's ur chap 7.  
  
VII-Tomoyo vs. Daidouji  
  
"Tomoyo-chan..." Sakura raised troubled emerald green to Tomoyo, her voice heavy with worry.  
  
"What is it?" Tomoyo asked, amethyst eyes hinted with pity but lacking compassion. "What's the matter?"  
  
"I...I'm scared..." Sakura whispered.  
  
Tomoyo's eyes widened. "WHY?" she asked.  
  
"About what Syaoran-kun said earlier...about another Clow Card...I don't want another episode like yesterday...it's too soon..."  
  
Tomoyo blinked, suddenly flustered. "But, he...uhm...it's okay...everything will be fine," she said, her words laced with weird unease. But Sakura, dense like she was, didn't notice anything.  
  
Syaoran shifted position, causing a pause in conversation...then Sakura began to talk again, constantly fidgeting in her seat as her hand came in and out of her pocket, consoling herself that the collection was still there.  
  
"What if a Card escaped again, Tomoyo-chan? Syaoran-kun's hurt and he can't fight anymore, and I really don't want him to, don't take me wrong. It's just that...I'm scared. Of fighting alone when I know he should be with me, and I...I...I don't want to fight right now!!!" she wailed.  
  
Tomoyo didn't reply. She just listened, her face tinged with light concern. Sakura also just continued to ramble on, her face changing expression ever so often, like a kawaii animation of a frustrated little girl--which was exactly what Sakura was at that moment.  
  
"Sakura, calm down," Tomoyo said, soothingly.  
  
So Sakura calmed down, but still she continued to fidget.  
  
"Sakura...relax," Tomoyo advised again, in a more calming tone.  
  
Sakura gave a weak, frustrated smile. "Well...I'll try..." she said.  
  
Tomoyo smiled at her.  
  
After a few minutes, Sakura still couldn't stand it. "I need to count them," she finally announced.  
  
"Uhm...okay!" Tomoyo said, pursing her lips, then adding, "good idea."  
  
Sakura smiled at the thought that she was finally getting her best friend back. Tomoyo seemed to be smiling at her more often, and they were swapping more and more words. She wanted her best friend back. She never really did mean to yell at her like she did the night before.  
  
Anyways, Tomoyo seemed to want to make friends too. Although she still wasn't adding that vital 'chan'... Sakura understood, of course. But still, she was happy with the progress they were making.  
  
She happily took out the deck of cards, but still with a tinge of anxiety in her heart.  
  
She carefully laid them all out on the bed, mindful of Syaoran and his need for silence and tranquility.  
  
Tomoyo bit her lip, nervously, watching Sakura as she murmured each card's label: "Firey, Windy, Fly, Jump, Freeze, Earthy..." then with a bitter note, "Watery...Loop, Mist, Shield, Sword, Fight, Mirror, Thunder, Silent, Erase..."  
  
Normal POV on Tomoyo   
  
Tomoyo rushed up the stairs, excitedly, purple eyes glinting with joy as she reminisced every single quote in her recent telephone conversation with the half-reincarnation of Clow Reed.  
  
She absolutely loved his charm, his stubborn streak, his mysterious atmosphere, and the way he played with words. She just couldn't help feeling happy. She was ready to forgive anyone.  
  
"Sakura-chan!" she called. "Sakura-chan!!!"  
  
As she ran, she pulled her wavy purple tresses into a ponytail, using a purple scrunchie that she'd found on the tea table as she walked around absently while talking to Eriol.  
  
She couldn't deny the fact that she had a slight crush on him. He was one of the few guys who actually caught her attention. Of course, the fact that he was also part-enemy contributed to that.  
  
Tomoyo smiled.  
  
"Sakura-chan!"  
  
She slowed down when she reached the part of the house where Sakura was currently in with Syaoran. Then with a sudden flash of inspiration, she ran into her room and brought out her camcorder, loading it with fresh tape.  
  
She could hear murmurs coming from within the room. Her happiness overflowed. 'Syaoran's awake!?!? Perfect!! Mush, mush, mush!!!'  
  
Her hand encircled the knob with excitement. She twisted it, and pushed the door open. "Eriol just called!!" she announced, loudly.  
  
"Yes, you already said so," Sakura said.  
  
Tomoyo opened her eyes and blinked. "Huh? I did? Did you listen through the extension!?"  
  
"No, of course not, Tomoyo-chan! Shadow Card...hora!" She happily held up the Shadow Card, showing it to Tomoyo, then she set it aside on another small pile of cards, which, Tomoyo supposed, were the ones she had already counted.  
  
The dark-haired girl was surprised to find all the cards laid out before her best friend. She was counting them. Why? Then her gaze fell on the girl across Sakura, who had her back to Tomoyo.  
  
"Eh?" Then her amethyst eyes widened. She gasped.  
  
Sakura's gaze snapped up when she heard the sound. Her emerald green eyes expanded to the size of dinner plates. She fell backwards in her seat. "HOEEEEE!!!!" she screamed, landing painfully on the floor.  
  
Syaoran stirred.  
  
Two Tomoyos gazed at each other.  
  
"You...you're me!!" Tomoyo, who was talking to Eriol earlier (who shall be called Tomoyo throughout this ordeal), squealed.  
  
The other Tomoyo, who has been with Sakura the whole time (who shall be called Daidouji to keep things a little less confusing), stood from her chair and let out her own gasp.  
  
"Who are you!?!?" she yelped.  
  
Tomoyo stood, shocked, her hand falling to her side. "I...I'm Tomoyo Daidouji..."  
  
"HOE!!!!" Sakura exclaimed. "You...you're Tomoyo, too!"  
  
Daidouji's eyes widened dramatically. "Sakura!!" she shrieked. "What's happening!?!?"  
  
"Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo pleaded. "What's she doing here!? Who is she?"  
  
"She...she's...she's Tomoyo-chan...m-my best friend..." Sakura stammered, as she clambered to her feet, still in shock.  
  
Tomoyo's eyes widened. "She...she's your best friend?" she echoed, pain washing over her.  
  
"Or at least...I think she is..." Sakura quickly added. "Because...I'm getting confused...hoeee..."  
  
"I am!! I swear, Sakura!" Daidouji said, her eyes getting moist. "You've got to believe me!"  
  
"You don't believe her, do you, Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo asked, anxiously, her grip tightening on her camera that had she not been so confused she would have feared breaking it.  
  
"But...but, I...I...what's happening!?" Sakura shouted, frustrated. She gazed from one teary-eyed Tomoyo to another. "One of you is a fake. Please admit it now, onegai!!" she said, biting her lip, her eyes clouded with confusion.  
  
"She's pretending to be me!" Daidouji wailed.  
  
"I don't have to pretend to be myself!!!" Tomoyo cried. "Sakura-chan, please believe me. I'm your best friend, remember?"  
  
"Please, Sakura..." Daidouji put in. "I don't want to lose you to her..."  
  
Sakura, now more confused than any other time in her life, sank onto the floor. "I...I don't understand...what's going on here?"  
  
Syaoran opened his amber eyes, finally exiting slumber. The noise had helped, although he couldn't say he was actually happy about the high- pitched screaming and debating. Still, he was just happy to be awake...although it was so damn cold and WAAAAYYY freezing.  
  
As soon as his vision allowed him to see clearly and the last of the pain that had shot through him as he moved slightly faded away, he searched the room for her face.  
  
"Sakura...?" he murmured, suddenly aware that she wasn't watching him anymore.  
  
At the sound of his voice, Sakura raised her head, waves of relief washing over her. "Syaoran-kun!?!?" she called from below.  
  
Syaoran looked down, and there was Sakura, in a weird position on the floor, her face a mixture of emotions. "Sakura?" he asked.  
  
"Oh, Syaoran!!" She scrambled to her feet and ran to him, giving him a hug.  
  
He couldn't keep it in. "OOWWWW!!!!" he yelped.  
  
"Hoe!!! Gomennasai!!" Sakura said. And then she shrank onto the bed beside him, gesturing with her eyes to the two Tomoyos.  
  
Syaoran followed her gaze, and felt the jolt of the Clow Card's power surge through him again. "Dammit..." he murmured, voice soft but wary.  
  
"I know!!" Sakura cried. "There's TWO of them!!!"  
  
Syaoran almost sweatdropped. "That wasn't what I meant..." he said.  
  
"Hoe?" Sakura replied.  
  
Syaoran shook his head, looking at her in disbelief. Then all of a sudden, he was aware of his distance from Sakura, which was just a wee li'l inch. He blushed red and forced himself not to pay attention to his flashbacks of that...er...hug she'd given him earlier.  
  
Succeeding, he regained his cold composure. "Clow Card," he explained, eyeing Tomoyo and Daidouji (;;), who were both giving each other uneasy looks.  
  
"Hoe?" Sakura repeated.  
  
"One of them is a Clow Card," Syaoran explained, frustrated. He removed his contact with the bed and a bit hesitantly pushed the warmth of the bed covers from his body.  
  
Ignoring the shoots of pain his sore muscles immediately suffered and the sudden drop of temperature he felt, he forced himself off the bed, his feet making for the floor. His vision blotted a little, blurred, then blotted again, but, undaunted, he got off the bed.  
  
"HOOOEEEEEE!!" Sakura squeaked, grabbing his arm. "Dame, Syaoran-kun!"  
  
Syaoran flashed her a don't-worry-about-me-okay-and-don't-even-dare-stop-me glare.  
  
"Syaoran-kun!!" Daidouji cried, rushing to him. Her hands touched his shoulders, gently pushing him back towards the bed, causing his amber glower to meet her concerned amethyst eyes. "Dame!" she said.  
  
He clenched his teeth to help himself from the cold and hissed: "Let go. Now."  
  
Daidouji's eyes looked into his, imploringly. "Stay...please...Sakura can figure this out on her own..." Her hands remained firm on his shoulders, almost like she was challenging him to escape, practically giving him the message 'don't you dare move or else.'  
  
Syaoran's eyes flashed angrily, this sudden realization making him all the more defiant. He jerked his arm from Sakura's grasp, his brain's immediate reaction to the sudden movement causing his eyesight to blur and darken slightly.  
  
"Don't," he hissed, "touch me." Daidouji's eyes gave a flicker of fear, and her hands lost contact with his shoulders.  
  
Tomoyo just watched, shocked, her hand's grip loosening on her camera.  
  
Syaoran gritted his teeth, subconsciously yearning for at least two thick, woolen jackets. He felt numb with cold, every muscle still sore and painful. He couldn't resist shivering.  
  
To make that less obvious, he forced himself off the bed, his hand grabbing the familiar tangles of ball and tassel from the table. His hand gripped his not-yet-transformed weapon tightly, both for support and wariness.  
  
"Syaoran-kun, dame..." Sakura said, rising from the bed.  
  
He ignored her. Concentrating really hard, he raised the stringed ball in front of him, closed his eyes and willed what strength for magic he had stored during his short period of rest to give him his sword.  
  
And it worked. With a soft, magical glow, the sheathed blade took form in his hands. His eyes widened, his arms dropped. He was amazed. Never had he felt the sword to be as heavy as it was then.  
  
The cold tiles underneath his feet were serving to make him feel colder. The loose white long-sleeved shirt wasn't enough to supply him heat, even though partnered with the baggy cotton pants. He felt extremely cold, extremely tired, extremely sore.  
  
Still, he raised the sword, both hands on the handle, eyes glimmering with determination.  
  
"One of you is a Clow Card," he said, his voice touched a bit by light quivers, facing both Tomoyos, the sword inches from Daidouji's neck. She stepped back.  
  
Syaoran plunged ahead, bravely continuing his undeterred statements. "With or without Sakura's help...I swear...I'm bringing you down..."  
  
tbc  
  
Lchan: Oh...kay...was that good? Anyways...ja ne. Oh, and, BTW, 'dame' means stop or no. And for people who don't know this Japanese word, it's "dah-meh", not "deym" 'cuz that's an English word. 


	9. Mistaken Identity

Lchan: People...I'm gettin' tired o' this fic. I'm leavin' it. Sorry, okay, peeps?  
  
...  
  
laughs Hah!! No way!!! Not a chance!!! This thing's here to stay!! ;; Okay...I'm sorry. I'm fooling around. This isn't the last chapter, 'kay?  
  
I'm sorry if this took so long. When I first tried to get this chapter in here (which was I think three days ago, more or less), the Download Manager went crazy and wouldn't create/upload a new chapter. Harsh. Oh well.  
  
Here's your chapter 9, everyone!! Gomen for that moment of utter ridicule!!! Hee hee...okay. Now I'm serious. Go ahead, read. Oh, and this has more talk. Not much action. But I hope you'll like it anyway.  
  
VIII-Mistaken Identity  
  
"Syaoran." Sakura said, her voice firm, face stern. She ran between him and Daidouji, spreading her arms as if defending her. "No! Stop it, okay!?"  
  
"K'so, Sakura, get out of my way," Syaoran muttered. He dropped his hands, the tip of the blade clanking against the tile as both surfaces came in contact. He could hardly feel the handle of his sword, just the agony of his muscles while he carried its weight.  
  
"Dame!!" Sakura shook her head, her honey-colored hair moving opposite to the motion, swishing gently. Her mouth was set in a firm line, eyes hinted with a bit of anger.  
  
Syaoran shivered a little, but he shook his head, clenched his teeth and gathered as much energy as he could, raising his sword again. "No."  
  
"No!?" Sakura echoed. "Syaoran, I'll handle this, okay!?"  
  
Syaoran eyed her, angrily, like the thought of her underestimating him had stung. "You think I'm weak...don't you?"  
  
Sakura's eyes widened. "I...I...n-no..."  
  
"Then please...let me fight!" Syaoran said, his voice having teeny hints of pleading.  
  
"But...but you're...you're still hurt..."  
  
Tomoyo, voice wavering with fear, spoke up. "S-Syaoran...I...you're not going to...kill me...are you?" she asked, almost timidly. "I won't have to f-fight you...will I?"  
  
Syaoran's eyes snapped up.  
  
Sakura turned around. "Tomoyo-chan..." she whispered.  
  
Daidouji bit her lip, gulping. "Does that mean...you'll kill...ME? Because, I...I'm really not a card..." She looked away as if to keep herself from crying.  
  
Sakura's eyes widened. "Hoe...Syaoran-kun, we'll have to find out who's who before fighting," she said, softly. "We can't just..."  
  
"I know..." Syaoran murmured, avoiding her gaze as he looked to the side. His eyes fell on the bed, and suddenly he was once again craving for warmth. He closed his eyes and tried to shut out the icy surge that ran throughout his body, numbing his whole being.  
  
Tension filled the room.  
  
No one spoke.  
  
No one stirred.  
  
"Well..." Sakura finally spoke up. "I...Tomoyo-chan..." she looked towards Tomoyo, "...she...started calling me Sakura-chan again, when she suddenly entered the room earlier."  
  
Syaoran, glad for the distraction, raised his eyes. "So?" he pressed, unable to comprehend what she was saying. They've been calling each other's names with chans in the end since the beginning.  
  
"See...Tomoyo-chan and I had this fight yesterday--" Sakura started, slowly.  
  
"About what?" Syaoran, asked, suddenly curious. This was a first, and he couldn't help asking, even though he would normally just leave unnecessary details out...such as this.  
  
Sakura's cast her eyes down. "I...well...we just a had a little debate...so anyway," she rushed on, "she stopped calling me 'Sakura-chan' since I...sort of...offended her during that little...debate...and just called me Sakura. A-and...THIS Tomoyo-chan..." she turned to the whimpering Daidouji, "she's been with me...and you...since early this morning...and SHE," she looked towards Tomoyo, "just came in, a few minutes before you woke up, and...and..."  
  
"And so you think she's the Clow Card?" Syaoran asked, softly.  
  
Tomoyo's eyes widened. "B-but, I-I...I was downstairs...talking to Eriol...o-on the phone..." she stammered. "H-he wanted to ask about Syaoran and--"  
  
"And Tomoyo-chan (meaning Daidouji) already said that, too...before YOU came in, so...I...I'm...I'm having doubts..." Sakura continued, in an unsure whisper.  
  
"Twin Card..." Syaoran murmured.  
  
"Hoe?"  
  
"Twin Card."  
  
"I...I don't understand..."  
  
"The Tomoyo-imitation...is the Twin Card..." Syaoran said, his voice breaking from involuntary shivers. He clutched his sword tighter and tried to control his shallow breathing. His hands shook. He knew it. But he wouldn't give up.  
  
"So...which one is the imitation?" Sakura asked.  
  
"No idea," Syaoran answered, partly because he didn't want to waste energy on muttering observations and also because he didn't know yet on whose side he was on, the scrunchie-girl or the with-Sakura-girl.  
  
Sakura looked really downhearted. Syaoran almost felt like blaming himself for giving such a stupid answer.  
  
"Well, what should we do?" she asked.  
  
Syaoran shook his head, silently, once again feeling the icy waves that endlessly tortured him to go back to sleep. "I...I don't know..." he murmured.  
  
Sakura once more eyed the two, watery-eyed Tomoyos, cursing herself for once again relying on Syaoran's problem-solving abilities when she knew he was having a hard time even to just stay awake.  
  
"Gomennasai," she said.  
  
Syaoran glanced at her briefly, but didn't reply or even ask what for.  
  
Sakura bit her lip and tried to think, voicing her ideas as she did. "Tomoyo-chan (Tomoyo) is a lot like, well...the original Tomoyo-chan, who loved to videotape and who was with us yesterday when...you know...the Tomoyo I've always hung out with and hadn't yelled at... But since we got into a fight, SHE (Daidouji) is closer to the real Tomoyo because the way she acts now is also the way the really real Tomoyo acted towards me yesterday after our fight. And since I don't know if she has forgiven me...I'm willing to say...that I...I..."  
  
"That you think I'm the Clow Card!?!?" Tomoyo gasped out.  
  
Syaoran watched Sakura closely as she slowly nodded her head. She was serious. Even though her analysis was a vague jumble of words he could barely understand what with his brain going slow on him and all, he was pretty much confident in his observation that she was dead s-e-r-i-o-u-s.  
  
"If you're sure...then seal it."  
  
Sakura looked at him. "....Hai...."  
  
She brought out her key and held it in front of her, a lump in her throat as she recited her lines, armed with a huge dose of courage which she had never had to use before.  
  
"Release!"  
  
There was a bright glow, and gusts of wind seemed to surround her as the key stretched in midair.  
  
Syaoran felt as if every gentle blow of the wind was slicing through him like slabs of ice, like he was walking through the sleet stark naked. He shivered violently, dropping his sword's sheath while the other hand clutched the blade's handle tighter than ever.  
  
Sakura snatched her wand off the air. The winds stopped.  
  
Syaoran felt frozen. His vision once again blotted and blurred, the cold numbing his brain, which was craving for warmth to provide good service. He reduced his shivers to heavy, rapid breathing, collapsing to the floor on his knees.  
  
Daidouji ran towards him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Syaoran-kun, daijobu!?!?"  
  
Syaoran felt the Clow Card's aura flare dramatically, sensing its presence stronger than ever. His amber eyes widened.  
  
Tomoyo started to cry, backing away and dropping her camera to the floor. "DAME!!!" she cried. "Onegai, I'm not a Clow Card!!!" Her back hit the door, her tears flowing freely down her porcelain cheeks.  
  
Suddenly, she found herself wishing she was once again hearing Eriol's mysterious voice and feeling his mysterious presence, back downstairs, holding the phone and talking to the half-reincarnation of Clow Reed, laughing and giggling to his charming replies.  
  
But she was there. With Sakura and Syaoran, both of them against her. Desperate, she cried, "Sakura-chan, don't do this, please!!!"  
  
England   
  
"What's the matter?" Nakuru asked, watching the sudden change in Eriol's expression. His sly grin had somehow suddenly turned into a serious gaze, blue eyes clouded with worry.  
  
Spinal Sun hopped down from the table and walked over to him, peered into Eriol's face. "What's up?" he asked.  
  
Eriol ignored the question.  
  
His serious blue eyes were narrowed with concentration, brows furrowed with hints of disapproval.  
  
Several minutes passed, when Eriol's expression was suddenly turned into a real mask of worry, a look that was alien to both Spinel and Nakuru.  
  
"Hmm? Doushita no?" Nakuru asked, looking into Eriol's face.  
  
It took a few long moments before she figured out what was wrong with the suddenly-not-so-cool half-reincarnation of Clow Reed. And that didn't even require Eriol to actually TELL her what.  
  
It was all in the way he said her name.  
  
"Tomoyo..."  
  
Action Scene   
  
Sakura bit her lip, and then shook her head to wave off any emotion. It was hard to actually do this to a replica of your best friend, even though it/she IS just a replica.  
  
But it had to be done.  
  
"Sword Card..." she murmured. The card complied immediately. Her wand melted into a slim rapier, which she firmly held in front of her in an offensive position.  
  
Tomoyo shut her eyes.  
  
Sakura advanced towards her.  
  
Daidouji's fingers tightened painfully on Syaoran's shoulder, more and more as she watched the blade go nearer to the girl whom they believed to be the Twin Card.  
  
His vision immediately retaliated with a wild round of blotting out and blurring of colors. "Ah..." he gasped out, softly, as the pressure on his shoulder increased.  
  
He raised his amber eyes towards Daidouji's face, which swam in and out of focus. "Stop it," he hissed, every syllable coated with pain.  
  
She didn't seem to hear him, amethyst eyes fixed on the scene before them. They were blank, no longer shining with concern or moist with tears. The pressure of her fingers was absolutely excruciating, mercilessly digging into his skin, almost daring him to cry out loud.  
  
And when she looked at him, he could see the naughty, triumphant smile that was on her face. He could almost hear her giggles. This chilled him to the core, and a sudden, dark realization dawned on him.  
  
"Sakura, no!" he shouted.  
  
"AAAAAAAHHH!!!!" Tomoyo screamed, as the rapier caught her arm, drawing blood.  
  
"Hoe!?" Sakura exclaimed. Syaoran's sudden cry had distracted her, fortunately piercing Tomoyo's arm instead of her heart. She flicked confused emerald eyes towards the wound and gasped, covering her mouth at the sight of blood. "But..but Clow Cards don't have blood!" she cried.  
  
Syaoran's vision blotted and dimmed as the hand on his shoulder continued to practically dislocate the joint. The pain grew unbearable. "Sakura..." he gasped out.  
  
Sakura turned around. Her emerald green eyes widened. "HOEEEEE!!!!!" she screamed. For Daidouji was now in her Twin Card form, face masked with pure glee and triumph.  
  
Sakura's emerald green eyes widened as she sighted an only half-conscious Syaoran desperately pulling himself from its grasp, muttering incoherent curses.  
  
"Syaoran-kun!!!" she shouted. And then, to her horror, Syaoran's amber eyes suddenly widened, and he stopped struggling.  
  
A wave of nausea washed over him.  
  
And then he shook his head as if to focus himself. "Seal it!!!!" he shouted, voice strained with desperation and pain with a touch of his usual stubborn bravery.  
  
Sakura felt a hand on her arm. She turned around.  
  
And there was Tomoyo. She raised her camera (she picked it up, okay?) to her eye and winked at Sakura in a way she hadn't in what seemed like such a long time.  
  
"Ganbatte ne." Complete with a charming sweet smile.  
  
And Sakura smiled back.  
  
"Hai."  
  
tbc  
  
Lchan: Okay...I dunno when I can put up a new chapter. School. You know... Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter. There's gonna be some action in the next one. Please review. Oh, and 'ganbatte' means good luck, okay? Okay.  
  
Please review!! And if you have ideas that you want me to include in this fic, please tell me in feedback-form. I'd love to hear them since I'm kinda getting short on plotlines.  
  
Arigato gozaimasu!!  
  
Ja ne. 


	10. Multiple Problemos

Lchan: Did I write a disclaimer!? No!?!? Well, i don't really NEED to, do I? Everyone knows CCS doesn't belong to a FANfic writer.  
  
Well...sorry this took so long. Like I said. School and all. Exams are coming the week after next week. I'll be busy. Keep me healthy through inspiring ideas, people, please!! Arigato!  
  
Well...read on!  
  
IX-Multiple Problemos  
  
"Get your hands off him!!" Sakura shrieked, her pink aura flaring around her as her fear developed into anger. Surprisingly, the card let go without any struggle or violence. "Hoe!?"  
  
Syaoran, snapping awake from his paralysis, grabbed his sword with his more able hand, balancing the blade on the floor and using it for support as he pulled himself into a standing position. He grimaced and let go of the sword to massage his throbbing shoulder.  
  
It clanked onto the floor, and he stumbled without its support. He clenched his teeth to remain standing.  
  
"Syaoran!" Sakura gasped.  
  
He raised wild auburn eyes to meet her wide, worried, emerald gaze. "I'm fine, just seal it!" he said, voice touched by a strange panic.  
  
Sakura nodded, flustered, taken aback by the wild jumble of sentiments that coated his words and his voice, as opposed to his standard silence and rare display of emotions.  
  
"H-hai!!" she immediately complied, clearly quite intimidated.  
  
The card giggled like a crazed lunatic. It zipped around the room so fast that not one of the three kids in the room could catch a glimpse of him, er, it--just an occasional blur of colors that rushed past.  
  
"HOE!!!" Sakura cried, getting scared, as her emerald eyes flicked around the room,desperately trying to catch the card.  
  
"Oh my, there's two of them!" Tomoyo exclaimed, watching through the lense what seemed to be two slackening blurs.  
  
Syaoran's amber eyes, Sakura's emerald orbs, and Tomoyo's amethyst gaze widened in shock as the two creatures came to a stop, both wearing identical evil grins.  
  
Twins.  
  
"HOEEEEEEE!!!!" Sakura screamed.  
  
"K'so!" Syaoran grumbled.  
  
"This can't be happening, oh no!!" Tomoyo cried. "We need Meilin-chan!!"  
  
Syaoran's gaze darkened. He fliched and looked away. Memories came rushing back to him. "Sou...Meilin." He lowered his amber eyes. Darn.  
  
Flashback   
  
(Syaoran)  
  
Damn Twin Card! Sakura can't do it, she just can't!! We've gotta kill 'em both at once with the same stuff. We've tried, but it didn't work. Our power levels are WAY to different.  
  
Argh, damn it all!!  
  
Great. Meilin's here.  
  
She's watching our pathetic attempts to fight this damned pair.  
  
She looks like she'd been crying. I'm sorry. She's acting treally weird and I know it's 'coz of me. It's like she's scared of me or something. It's like she hates me. Very much. Or maybe she thinks I hate her...'coz of that stupid, petty fight.  
  
Oh, darn it! Everything's being doubled!!!  
  
Sakura's panicking.  
  
Chotto.  
  
Meilin.  
  
She's perfect!!  
  
We've been through the same training together and we've got the same style. Chinese fighting. Who cares if she doesn't know magic, we've got the same moves.  
  
But she doesn't want to. She's skeptical. She's doubting if I want to do this with her. I think she really does hate me. Darn it. The screaming guy's being doubled now. So's the building he's in.  
  
Oh argh, we're stalling!! Perfectly precious time diminishing into oblivion as I wait and wait and wait for her agreement. We're wasting too much time, dammit!  
  
I finally spoke up.  
  
Sure, she hates me, but this is nothing personal. This is Clow-Card- business and this hasn't got anything to do with dumb marriages and unrequited love!! She's my cousin and I love her but never in a romantic way and even if she were my worst enemy, I'd fight with her side by side just so we could get this over with!  
  
Still skeptical, but at least she's finally in. We crouched into a battle pose.  
  
And suddenly, I find myself smiling. Meilin really rocks sometimes. And I see that she's smiling too. Finally.  
  
Then we kicked some serious butts. I punch, she punches. I kick, she kicks. Sommersaults, hits, moves...it's like we were one person. As if I'm practicing on this freak in front of the mirror, only Meilin's my reflection.  
  
And, hoo boy, did it work.  
  
The Twin Card is now officially ours...er...mine...  
  
Whatever.  
  
End of Flashback   
  
"AHH, you're right!! Where's Meilin!?!?" Sakura wailed.  
  
Syaoran, getting irritated with such impossible hopes, raised his amber eyes in a sudden craving for victory. "Ah, screw Meilin," he said, quietly, darkly.  
  
Tomoyo's camera zoomed in on his face.  
  
"I'll fight with you."  
  
Sakura's eyes widened. "Iie! Dame!!"  
  
Syaoran's amber eyes bore into hers. "Please, Sakura...trust me."  
  
Sakura bit her lip. "But...but I...I..." She lowered her eyes, reconsidered, and then looked up to give him a smile that made his heart melt. "Okay. I trust you."  
  
"Thanks--" And then he stopped short.  
  
A haunting, cold, but beautiful voice started to hum in the background. It hummed a beautiful melody, its voice mesmerizing its audience and listeners. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as the sweet voice filled the room with an enchanting song.  
  
"Tomoyo-chan? Is...is that you...?" Sakura asked, softly.  
  
"Hm-hm," Tomoyo replied, shaking her head. "I'm not singing..."  
  
"It's the Song Card again," Syaoran grumbled. "Two cards to defeat." He sighed. He might not have the strength to take that.  
  
"Hoeee!! B-but, h-how did it get out?" Sakura stammered, ashamed of herself for not being a firm card mistress, fearing that she didn't deserve her role.  
  
"It...just did," Syaoran answered. He thought it was kind of a stupid reply, but at least he responded.  
  
"I'm sorry! I never meant to handle them with such a lose grip!!" Sakura wailed.  
  
"It's okay, Sakura-chan. You can recapture them all anyway, ne?" Tomoyo piped up. "You can do this!" She raised her camera up to her eye, smiling happily. "Ganbatte, Sakura-chan!"  
  
"Arigato, Tomoyo..." Sakura said, half-sweatdropping.  
  
The mesmerizing melody grabbed Syaoran's attention completely. He felt almost hypnotized with its sound. "Daidouji..." he murmured.  
  
Tomoyo blinked. "Hai?"  
  
"Sing."  
  
She nodded, understanding fully what he meant. She'd been through this before, and it wasn't a very hard job. "Wakarimasu."  
  
Tomoyo stepped forward, cautiously. Her amethyst eyes flicked towards the waiting Twin Card twins apprehensively, and then she steeled herself. She opened her mouth to release her sweet-sounding voice:  
  
"Sing to me the song...of the stars...of your galaxy dancing and laughing...and laughing...again...when it...feels like...my...dreams.........so.........far........"  
  
She collapsed onto the floor.  
  
"HOEEEE!!" Sakura shrieked, rushing over. "Tomoyo-chan! Tomoyo-chan!!"  
  
Syaoran looked around, bewildered. "What the--!?!?"  
  
A little white crossover of a fairy and an elf flitted around the room, leaving behind it a sprinkle of white glitters. It caught Syaoran's eye before it ducked behind a stack of books on another dresser across the room.  
  
'Darn. The Sleep Card. What could be worse? Three cards at a time.'  
  
It peeked out at the two remaining awake fighters, naughtily, as if choosing its next victim very very carefully. And then it flew swiftly towards him, flapping its little white wings.  
  
'Whoa. A fan card,' he thought saracstically. He felt the familiar surge of adrenaline flow through him again, supplying him temporary heat and clearing his mind.  
  
His hands dove into his pockets.  
  
'Darn.'  
  
No magical paper.  
  
No wind.  
  
(;; I'm sorry. I really don't know what to call those pieces of card- substitute papers he carries around with him...gomennasai!)  
  
He dove for his sword just in time to miss the dangerous glittery dust. The Sleep Card zoomed above him a little to the left.  
  
"Syaoran-kun!!!" Sakura shrieked. "What's going on!?!?"  
  
Syaoran raised himself from the ground with his sword. "Sleep Card...Twin Card...Song Card...three cards..." he said in soft gasps. "Need...to seal...asap."  
  
"HOEEEEE!!!"  
  
Suddenly, a figure dove for her. An elf-sized creature that was only at least two feet high and three feet max. "Sakura, abunai!" Syaoran shouted, before he was tackled to the floor by the creature-that-attacked-Sakura's replica.  
  
Both of them crashed into the floor with a loud 'hoe' and a venomous 'k'so'.  
  
The Twin Card.  
  
"Aiiiiii!!!!" Sakura shrieked, slapping the little elflike card off her lap in a surge of fright.  
  
"Get the Sword Card!!" Syaoran yelped, detaching himself from his own dilemma with a quick punch across the 'thing's' jaw.  
  
"Hai! Sword Card!!" Sakura yelled. Once again, her wand melted into the same fancy rapier. "I'm ready!!" Then she looked towards Syaoran. "What should I do?!?"  
  
Syaoran's breathing was getting ragged again, but he couldn't care less about that now. The adrenaline was going strong. "Let's cream these two."  
  
Sakura flashed him a determined, admiring, grateful gaze. "Hai!!"  
  
"Slash left, slash right, somersault, land behind, roundhouse kick, hit across the jaw, diagonal slash, seal. Got it?" Syaoran yelled at her. It was a simple exercise he was quite used to, since he usually did that trick when he was sparring with Meilin...with a blunt-tip sword, of course.  
  
"Hoe!?" Sakura said, her voice filled with fear. "I...I couldn't catch..."  
  
Syaoran repeated the long list of moves before she could finish, but she still couldn't remember what came after the somersault.  
  
"I...I'm sorry...pardon!?" she squeaked.  
  
Syaoran valiantly told her for the third time the sequence, but still she couldn't get it.  
  
"Go-gomennasai..."  
  
"Slash left, slash right, then somersault, land behind--whoa!!!!" The Sleep Card had flitted towards him, the shower of glimmers trailing after its little form. His amber eyes widened, and he dove quickly towards the side. His shoulder hit the tiles hard, but he recovered quickly, his hand tightening on his sword's heavy handle.  
  
"Ow..." he grumbled, incoherently.  
  
The Song Card's melody filled the room, distracting both fighters with its singing. Syaoran wished it would shut up, but with Tomoyo out, they couldn't seal it just yet.  
  
"Daijobu, Syao--" Sakura started to ask.  
  
"Watch out, Sakura!!" he screamed, sighting the elf-fairy creature zoom straight towards her, carrying its sparkling, dangerous dust.  
  
"Hoeee!!" Sakura shrieked, as the little white creature flew over to her in an attempt to make her fall unconscious. Sakura fell to her knees on the floor, both hands covering her head in fear. Her wand-turned-sword clattered on the tiles beside her.  
  
Syaoran crawled over and nudged her with his fingers. His limbs were getting numb again, but he seemed more awake. The adrenaline was doing well.  
  
Sakura raised her eyes. "Hoe!" she exclaimed. She scrambled for the slim blade. It struck her how pale he looked and how dead tired, but she dismissed the thought of trying to convince him to let her fight on her own. She knew he wouldn't allow her anyway.  
  
"C'mon. Let's fight these cards," Syaoran murmured, softly.  
  
Sakura's head bobbed up and down. Both fighters rose to their feet.  
  
Syaoran raised his sword in front of him, both hands tight on the handle. Sakura imitated him. The twins leered at them wordlessly, but they stayed calm.  
  
"Go," Syaoran muttered.  
  
And he and Sakura dashed off.  
  
tbc  
  
Lchan: How was it!? Sorry it took so long! I was running out of ideas...and then, suddenly, boom, I have my chapter ten! Please don't stop reviewing! I know it's not as graphic as chapter 4, but it's more fast-paced, ne? I luv ya, peeps! 


	11. One Down, Two to Go

Lchan: I think this's gonna be a pretty short but graphic (meaning, a bit wordy) chapter with hints of mush. I hope you'll enjoy it anyway. This took me a long time to put up since I couldn't go online! It always says 'check your password and try again' when I try to dial up.  
  
Oh well. Please, minna, feedback!! Keep me healthy!! You know, people, I suddenly find how funny some of these 'graphic' statements are, if you look behind the beautiful combination of words...  
  
Heehee...  
  
Ahem. Okay. There you go. See? Down there? That's the 11th chapter (whoa!). Go read it. ;;  
  
X-One Down, Two to go  
  
Syaoran crouched into the familiar battle pose, hoping against hope the adrenaline would hold up until the end of the battle. The icy numbness was settling in his limbs again and was causing serious lapses to his concentration.  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Sakura imitate him in a pretty klutzy but nevertheless okay Chinese-martial-arts pose. She was nothing spectacular, but he admired her charismatic courage and determination.  
  
Syaoran's grip tightened on the familiar cold but smooth handle of his sword, vaguely enjoying the rush of power it consoled him with. He looked past the sharp tip of the blade towards the leering face of his opponent.  
  
He hated that look--a look that pitied and underestimated him and his capabilities...and Sakura... No one had the right to underestimate her--the one girl who'd actually managed to IMPRISON his heart in her hands.  
  
Sakura waited for his signal, knowing that his, and only his, instructions could help them pull through this. The stance she was displaying, the angle in which she held her sword, the technique she was about to perform...they all belonged to him (well...and the rest of the fighters in Hong Kong and the Li Clan...). And she wouldn't know how to do it if she went ahead by herself.  
  
And then she heard it--his smooth, deep voice, rarely heard, for his expression and his eyes have always been his best communication media.  
  
She secretly loved it when he talked to her in those calm, gentle tones, although she didn't know why. Every single moment when he did that would and have been filed away into her precious memory. Forever.  
  
"Go," Syaoran murmured, his voice low but clear.  
  
He and Sakura bolted from their places, swords held in much the same way. "Haaaaahhhhh!!!!" Sakura screamed, trying to produce more energy from herself. Syaoran couldn't yell. He hadn't much energy in him to bring out, anyway.  
  
His eyes caught Sakura's briefly, for a split second, reminding her of their first move.  
  
Sakura gave a small but significant nod, a look of determination worthy of his admiration masking her pretty face.  
  
She remembered the sequence of actions through trying to bring back to life Syaoran's voice as he patiently repeated the simple moves thrice for her in her mind.  
  
"Slash left, slash right, sommersault, land behind, roundabout kick, hit across the jaw, diagonal slash, seal. Get it?" His voice as he said those words echoed and reechoed through her brain.  
  
Syaoran swung his sword to the left, Sakura did the same, both of them striking their own 0.5 portions of the Twin Card.  
  
'Slash left,' Sakura ticked off.  
  
Brows furrowed with concentration, Syaoran curved his sword back to right, feeling the familiar gush of wind that always seem to come when he was fighting.  
  
Sakura bit her lip, trying her best to keep up with his smooth moves. She knew, of course, how to handle a sword...just not as good as him. She WAS better on the Fly Card than Syaoran, though...but that's beside the point.  
  
She swung her sword to the right in perfect synchronization with her partner.  
  
The Twin Card screamed two echoing screams.  
  
'Slash right.' She tensed herself for their next move. What was that again? 'Hoe.' She ran Syaoran's voice through her head quickly:  
  
"Slash left, slash right, somersault, land behind, roundabout kick, hit across the jaw, diagonal slash, seal. Get it?"  
  
'Got it. Okay. Somersault.' She turned towards Syaoran.  
  
'Jump, jump!!' he urged Sakura mentally. He flashed her a brief, reminding look that begged her not to forget their next move. He could see the slight change in her expression that signaled her acknowledgement.  
  
Sakura pushed on the floor with her legs, aiming for a high jump that's sufficient enough for a single somersault. Syaoran released himself briefly from the grips of gravity and felt the air rush by him.  
  
They both braced themselves for a quick turn in midair, angling their bodies for a beautiful curve. For a moment, they were upside-down, the tiles flashing before them in a blur before they pushed themselves back into an upright position, stretching their legs again to meet the floor.  
  
Thud. Thud.  
  
They both landed.  
  
'Somersault, land behind, okay,' Sakura counted off, mentally. She flashed a brief glance in her partner's direction.  
  
Syaoran caught her eye again. She had a small smile on her face. She winked at him, and he felt he would melt right there and then. But then he snapped himself back to reality and caught himself just in time to deliver the kick.  
  
He found himself grinning throughout the rest of the battle--no, not a grin. More like a smirk. A smirk that hid a huge childish smile he wanted so much to express.  
  
But couldn't.  
  
Not because that would break his image...but because he COULDN'T. It was his lack of experience that's the problem.  
  
He and Sakura twisted around, legs outstretched to their sides. Syaoran felt his half of the Twin Card's body connect with his foot--hard. Sakura almost shrieked when she felt the same thud against hers.  
  
'Roundhouse kick!!' her mind screamed, almost in disgust.  
  
The adrenaline was running low, Syaoran knew, but he had to keep fighting. His gasps for breath remained unnoticed by Sakura, her attention completely dedicated to fighting. He kept himself awake through endless scolding, encouragements and reminders of the possible crash of his fragile pride.  
  
And, of course...for the ultimate source of adrenaline...SAKURA...for her...  
  
The Twin Card's two parts screamed in agony and confusion, the speed and fluency of the moves astounding them and taking them by surprise.  
  
Before they could collapse, Syaoran and Sakura delivered the final blow. Fists connected with jaws with bone-cracking impacts.  
  
'Hit across the jaw!!' Sakura inwardly rejoiced, thankful she didn't have to do any more violent tricks.  
  
The two elflike creatures flew across the room, crashing against the wall.  
  
Those series of actions proved to have taken its toll on Syaoran, and it had clearly taken a lot out of Sakura.  
  
The amber-eyed boy dropped to the floor, raising his heavy head to tell Sakura to seal it (them!?). The world was turning upside-down, and he found he was watching vague blots of colors through the dim black curtains of his vision.  
  
"Seal it, Sakura!!" he yelled. "HAYAKU!!"  
  
"HAI!!!!" Sakura yelled back, her voice filled with happiness but still coated with awareness of the situation.  
  
He heard her footsteps as she ran across the room, heard her familiar yell-- "Twin Card! Return to your powers confined! TWIN CARD!!!!"--then he felt the also-familiar icy gusts of wind, dimly saw the bright flashes of light...  
  
Before he finally blacked out. Again.  
  
Sakura hugged the restored Clow Card to her chest, looking towards the unconscious Syaoran victoriously, her eyes softening as she watched him sleep, drained of energy through trying and succeeding to help her.  
  
'Seal... We did it. I got it, Syaoran-kun...I got it.'  
  
tbc  
  
Lchan: Whoa. That was short, ne? Anyways, please review! The next chapter will be longer than this one, I promise!! Hayaku means hurry. And I guess I could take flames now. Just not too many flames, okay!? Uhm...but as much as possible, avoid that, people, 'k?  
  
Okay. Need feedback!!! Well, not really NEED. But I crave for feedback! I want feedback!!!! Onegai? Hee hee...  
  
Thanks, you're the best.  
  
Love Your Enemy, If You Only Knew, My Dearest Cousin, 6.75  
  
http: 


	12. Victory at last

Lchan: I'm so sorry for not updating as fast as I used to...onegai, don't stop reviewing!! There's school and everything, and...and...and I STILL LUV YOU, SWEAR!!! I can't find some of my favorite reviewers' names and that breaks my heart!!! Please, people...please, please, please...  
  
Oh, and BTW, the song I'm gonna use is from Disney's Beauty and the Beast (1st song, Belle, solo Belle)! So...it's mine just as much as CCS is, meaning...it's not.  
  
Okay. For the meamntime, here's chapter 12. I think I'll end at around 14 or 15...come what may.  
  
XI-Victory...Finally  
  
The Song Card had long stopped singing. Only the sharp thuds and pained cries made by the fighters and the weak Twin Card served to peirce the silence.  
  
The glittery white Sleep Card watched in shock at the two amazing fighters who were battling together in perfect synchronization.  
  
Whoa.  
  
The mistress was stronger than it remembered her to be, and the descendant had improved quite a bit (meaning a lot, lot, lot), considering his condition.  
  
Realizing this, the Card's little playful face was suddenly tinged with surprise...  
  
Then, surprisingly...admiration...  
  
Then deep worry...  
  
And then determination...  
  
Undaunted, it watched as Sakura charged towards the weak Twin Card, leaving her battle partner to collapse and use the last of his energy to instruct her on what to do:  
  
"Seal it!!!"  
  
And as Sakura complied, the Sleep Card prepared itself for the bright, power-sucking light that would soon envelop the room, fear filling its whole being...if it had a 'being'.  
  
"Twin Card! Return to your powers confined! TWIN CARD!!!" the mistress' voice rang out, a glimmering card-shape forming beneath the beak of her wand which she'd slammed into the air.  
  
The Twin Card promptly dissolved into it in swirling streaks of bright, almost blinding colors.  
  
Despite that traumatizing scene, the Sleep Card, determined to produce as much havoc as it could while it still can, snapped out of its reverie, flitting from behind the stack of books towards the barely awake Chinese boy.  
  
It zoomed over his chestnut-colored-locks-covered head, dousing him with sleep dust.  
  
Even without that huge dose of Sleep-Card-power, Syaoran still would have slipped into unconsciousness, which he immediately did, despite his desperate attempts to see the end of the fight.  
  
Sakura finished capturing the Clow Card, her heart filling with joy and pride at having succeeded at her task. She whirled around, card clutched to her chest, mouth stretched into a wide, cute smile.  
  
And then, sighting the Sleep Card over the unconscious Syaoran, her emerald green eyes widened, her lips parted into a shocked O. "H...hoe..."  
  
Moments of silence followed, the card and the mistress looking into each other's shocked eyes. Both paralyzed...but for different reasons.  
  
'S-Syaoran-kun...Syaoran-kun...!'  
  
'Th-the mistress...she is SO gonna seal me...'  
  
And then Sakura's heavy concern developed into anger. Her eyes darkened. "You!" she screamed, her fist tightening on her sealing wand while the other holding the newly-captured Twin Card slipped swiftly into her pocket, coming out after a split second empty.  
  
"How could you DO this to us? To him!? To Tomoyo-chan!?! TO ME!?!?" she wailed, both in anger and sorrow. "You are SO gonna pay for this!!"  
  
The card's glittery silver eyes widened in fear.  
  
Sakura walked towards it, confident that it couldn't snap out of its paralysis and escape in time. Surprisingly, she took calm but sure steps, one foot in front of the other...each step taking a full second to execute.  
  
Then she stopped a meter away from the Sleep Card, who was still floating numbly above Syaoran's still, clothed-in-white form.  
  
She held out her wand in front of her, face filled with determination, hurt, fury and even sadness. A second passed, with the head of her wand looming infront of the paralyzed card's eyes.  
  
A tear slid down Sakura's cheek.  
  
She didn't even know why. The confusion, the hurt, the anger, the pain and all those hectic rush of emtions she'd gone through...they must have taken their toll on her.  
  
Another tear slipped down her porcelain cheek.  
  
"Sleep Card..." she whispered, almost pleadingly, her voice edged with sobs. "Return to your powers confined...now... Sleep Card..."  
  
And even without her slamming the wand down into air to formulate the card, the glimmering golden quadrilateral took shape directly beneath the outstretched sealing wand's beak.  
  
And the Sleep Card just watched.  
  
The Song Card's haunting melody one again filled the room, its imitation of Tomoyo's voice ringing clearly through its humming of a familiar, slow song.  
  
In glittery white swirls, the Sleep Card entered its Clow Cage, without a struggle, without pain, without a single drastic action. Just peaceful. Nicely. Quietly.  
  
As the least streaks disappeared, the rectangular figure floated high into the air, only to drop into Sakura's hand. As she held it to her tear-filled emerald green eyes, the last of the golden glimmers faded to reveal the dancing Sleep Card's form across the glossy surface, 'The Sleep' printed clearly on the banner below it.  
  
Sakura raised it to her lips and planted a soft kiss onto the surface before she slowly slipped it into her pocket. "Arigato..."  
  
Tomoyo slowly woke up, Sakura having sealed the Sleep Card and thus removing its sleepy powers from its victims. "U-uhn?" she groaned, raising her head from the cold tiles. "Sa-Sakura...chan?" she called, uncertainly, pushing herself from the ground.  
  
Sakura twisted around, extremely glad to hear her best friend's real voice apart from the Song Card's mimics. "Tomoyo-chan!!" she cried, joyfully, new tears spilling over her cheeks. She flung herself into her best friend, her arms twisting around Tomoyo's neck.  
  
Tomoyo smiled and patted Sakura's back. "I knew you could do it..." she said, softly.  
  
"Arigato, Tomoyo-chan, Arigato..." Sakura cried, softly, into her best friend and cousin's shoulder. "Arigato...arigato...so, so much...arigato..."  
  
"Hey, what are friends for?" Tomoyo answered, sweetly, modestly, although she didn't think that line was proper since she didn't know what Sakura was being so thankful to her about.  
  
The Song Card's humming grew louder, filling the room with the sweet, echoing melody.  
  
But neither girl cared at that moment. Sakura was too busy crying both tears of joy and sorrow. Tomoyo was too busy comforting her.  
  
"It's over now...the worst is over..." she whispered, soothingly. Sakura continued to sob. She closed her amethyst eyes and gave up trying to console her childhood best friend. "Go ahead...it's okay to cry..." she murmured instead.  
  
And that's just what Sakura did, unmindful of the still unsealed Song Card.  
  
Tomoyo leaned her head on Sakura's shoulder, her lips curved into a half- smile. Then she broke into a sweet little song, a song she'd heard and learned to love from a recent cartoon flick she'd watched about a week before--a song whose lyrics didn't match the present, overcast mood...but a beautiful song...a simple...but beautiful song...  
  
First she just hummed...but her lips soon parted to sing the actual lyrics in her mesmerizing sweet voice...  
  
"Little town...it's a quiet village...... Everyday...like the one before...... Little town...full of little people...... Waking up to say...." and she stopped. "Bonjour," she whispered.  
  
She broke away from Sakura to tell her: "It's here now, Sakura-chan..."  
  
For right before her open amethyst eyes, the singing magical lady had taken shape, emerging from nowhere to sing along with her. It looks so peaceful...so serene...just glowing there...  
  
Sakura turned her tear-streaked face from Tomoyo's shoulder to look behind her...to the source of the pink light that filled the room.  
  
Slowly, she stood up, emerald eyes locked onto the Clow girl's sweet close- eyed face.  
  
Tomoyo smiled.  
  
Sakura approached the singing magical lady. She lifted her wand high into the air again, twirling it between her fingers like a baton before grabbing it, abruptly stopping its wild turning to swish it gently into the air that separated her from the Song Card.  
  
"I am your mistress..." she started, softly, but with every syllable ringing clearly. "Please...return to your powers confined..." Her hand tightened on the wand as, for the third time, a golden Clow Card once again took shape. "SONG CARD!!!"  
  
And with a small smile from the magical lady, it dissolved into its card state.  
  
'The Song' floated through the air and into Sakura's outstretched hand...and Sakura pocketed it as the sealing wand shrank into the normal old fancy key.  
  
"At last..." she murmured, almost dazedly. "It's over..."  
  
Tomoyo stood from the floor, one hand reaching out to squeeze Sakura's shoulder. "Yeah...you were great. Omedetto."  
  
Sakura smiled widely. "Arigato, Tomoyo-chan...hoeeee...." and she slid onto the floor, exhausted, face-faulting at the same time, glad that everything's finally over.  
  
Tomyo laughed and got down once more on her knees, her pale arms encircling her best frien'd neck from behind supportively, affectionately.  
  
Moments passed...  
  
And then Tomoyo's purple eyes snapped up in realization. "Where's Li-kun?" she asked, voice coated with curiosity.  
  
Emerald green orbs opened wide in shock. "HOEEEEEE!!!!!" Sakura screamed, breaking from Tomoyo's hold as she scrambled on both hands and feet to Syaoran's location. She reached out and placed both hands on his shoulder, turning him around so that she could see his face clearly.  
  
'Kawaii...' she immediately thought, before this ridiculous first word dawned into her. 'Hoe? Who am I kidding!?!? What did I just tell myself? But it is true...'  
  
Tomoyo immediately crawled over to her fallen camcorder, her finger pressing over the record button before she realized she hadn't turned it off all the while even though she was asleep!!  
  
She lifted the eyepiece to her right eye and locked the lense onto the kawaii scene before her.  
  
Sakura   
  
It's weird...  
  
It's SO weird...  
  
He looks so cute...even in his condition...he looks SO cute...I bet only he could look this good even though he's suffering and has suffered through so much...  
  
His hair, all messy and tousled up like that...only Syaoran-kun could pull off that look. I highly doubt Eriol-kun or Yamazaki-kun could...  
  
He looks so amazing...  
  
His aura...so cold yet so...so...CHARISMATIC...  
  
Even when he is asleep, he still manages to pull off his habitual old frown. He's the only guy who could look good scowling like he does. I bet no other guy could maintain a cold atmosphere even when asleep. No...not even Eriol-kun, I bet...  
  
And his eyes...so...interesting--millions of shades of brown, tinted with gold and even a bit of red. So weird...so...so...so Syaoran...  
  
Even though they're closed right now...so, so interesting...  
  
Why am I thinking these!? I drove him to this condition and all I can do is moon over his kawaii but right now very pale face!?  
  
He's moving slightly. Hoeee!!!  
  
Well!?!? DO SOMETHING, SAKURA, YOU BAKA!!!! Are you just gonna watch him shiver there!?!?  
  
Huh? Hoe? Eh? O-oh!! I mean, oh. Well, I.... Well. No!!  
  
Argh! Focus, focus!! No, no, no!! Sakura, quit staring! Tomoyo's videotaping you!!!  
  
"Ohohohohohohoho...kawaii!!!!!"  
  
Sweatdrop. See?  
  
"Tomoyo-chan..."  
  
Then Syaoran shifted slightly again, cutting me off. A bead of perspiration trickled down his temple. His brows furrow even more. Once again, he stirred, but never woke.  
  
Still...SO, SO kawaii, kakkoi, cute, cute, cute...amazing...incredibly, incredibly cool...  
  
I find myself lost in my thoughts. I wonder...  
  
He's so much unlike me...so serious...so solitary...handsome...reserved...talented and skilled...smart...MATURE...  
  
But I...I...I'm different. I'm too loud, too bubbly...Tomoyo-chan says I'm cute, but I don't think so... I'm not smart either. I suck at math. I'm haven't been a very good mistress lately...  
  
And worst of all...  
  
I am immature. Childish. I suppose that doesn't really surprise anyone since I AM still a kid...but...I sometimes don't act my age. I feel like he sees me as a toddler. A baby. A babyish kid who's ruining his life.  
  
And I don't like it.  
  
Oh, what am I getting at? Who am I kidding? What am I talking about? Where are these thoughts going?  
  
I know. Actually, honestly, I do know. And now I face it.  
  
And when I did, suddenly, I find myself asking you as I look into your face one more time...  
  
I wonder if you could bring yourself to love me too, just as much as I love you...  
  
? ? ?  
  
Just wondering...  
  
tbc  
  
Lchan: tbc means end of chap, end of Sak POV! Haha!! Sappy, wishy-washy, OOC, mushy mush!! Why? You're asking me WHY!?!?  
  
Sweatdrop.  
  
Because I noticed I was making HUGE mush lapses, I added in HUGE mush portions to make up for the HUGE mush lapses, so that the HUGE lapses can be made ip by the HUGE mush portions because the HUGE mush portions were made to make up for the HUGE mush lapses...  
  
I know. I'm crazy. Hahahahahahaha!! Ahem. Gomen if this chap was boring. I didn't want too much action since all the Sleep Card does is spray dust and all the Song Card does is sing, so that doesn't leave me much ideas for action, 'know...  
  
And, you know, I realize that to have another Tomoyo, the Mirror Card should be the one that got lose...well, it's too late now, isn't it? ;;  
  
Well....people I still need your reviews, you know!! Coz I still like reviews!! Jared, where are you!? And master li!?!? Sailor Jamie!! I...I wanna hear/read from you again!! Onegai, plzzzz!!!  
  
But thanks a whole lot to you reviewing people too! I'll mention all'ya in the last chap, I promise!!  
  
Oh, and, Kita? I think I'll be using a BIT of that family thing you were talking about...but I'll add some hip twist of my own, of course. Arigato!!  
  
Ja, minna-san!! 


	13. On the Way, Back Again

Lchan: Boh-ring... This chapter sucks. There's mush, though, if you want mush. No action. A bit of humor I guess. The title's weird, I know.  
  
There's absolutely NOTHING in this chapter, I warn ya! Absolutely en oh tee eych ay en ji! Get that? This chap goes to the fast-paced side. The 2nd part's a day after the fight (Monday). The last's a week after.  
  
So anyway...I luv you. Though this part sucks, I'd still like some feedback. Thanks. The next chapter would have the reunion and maybe Syaoran's...ahem...never mind.  
  
So anyways...I'll stop taking up your time now.  
  
XIII-On the Way, Back Again  
  
"Hello? Ms. Li?"  
  
"Yes? Who's this?"  
  
"Depends which side of me you want to know...good, normal or magical?"  
  
"Normal."  
  
"Ah...but am I normal?"  
  
"Quit stalling, child. I want to know who this is and why you're calling. Now. I don't want any of your nonsense."  
  
"Hush, it's only me, my fair mademoiselle... Hmm...is that a proper way to greet your elder?"  
  
"You're joking. And a cruel joke at that. I won't stand for this. Please hold. I don't want to talk to you. I'll get my daughter. Perhaps SHE can tolerate your idiotic mysterious stalling."  
  
Silence as the phone was plunked down. The caller smiled. A new voice broke over the line.  
  
"Hello!! Who's this please?"  
  
"Hello, Feimei. How do you do?"  
  
"Fine, hi. Who're you? How come you know my name?"  
  
"Hmm...what happens if I don't tell?"  
  
"Eh!? Who's calling please? I'd like to know. In cases like this I usually slam the receiver down if the person keeps on stalling for more than fifteen seconds."  
  
"Oh? But surely you wouldn't..."  
  
"Yes, I would."  
  
"Hoestly?"  
  
"Hmph. Okay, that's it. In fifteen...fourteen...thirteen...twelve...eleven...ten...nine...eight..."  
  
"Okay...I give up. It's Eriol. Hiiragizawa."  
  
Crash!!!  
  
Feimei's mouth dropped open, her feet collapsed from under her. She landed on the floor on both knees, totally shocked, her hand suddenly limp, dropping the cordless phone. It clattered noisily across the marble, sliding a few feet away from her. Her eyes stared at it in *horror*.  
  
"Wh-wha...wha..."  
  
Yelan walked to her daughter. "Feimei Li, what is the matter with you?" she reprimanded, quietly. She glanced towards the phone. "Who is it?"  
  
"Mother!! It's...it's...it's...."  
  
Yelan's eyes narrowed. "Who, Feimei? Is it a threat?"  
  
"N-no...it's...it's..."  
  
"Never mind, Feimei. Stand up." Yelan crossed the few feet that was between her and the phone, stooping down to encircle her hand around the shiny black gadget.  
  
Feimei picked herself up and scurried over to her mother, grabbing at her sleeve. "Mom, it's--"  
  
"Hush, darling." Yelan raised the cordless phone to her ear. "Who is this?" she barked.  
  
"Eriol Hiiragizawa, ma'am."  
  
Yelan's eyes widened. She gave a little gasp. Feimei's hands tightened on her sleeve. "C-Clow...Clow Reed!" she gasped out.  
  
Eriol gave a laugh. "Yes, to some people. But to most...just Eriol."  
  
"What...why...why did you call?" Yelan asked, jerking her sleeve from her daughter's fingers and pacing the room.  
  
"My cute little descendant is ill, I'm afraid. Haven't you felt anything?" Eriol cocked his head in mild surprise. His midnight blue eyes glimmered beneath his glasses. They are gonna freak.  
  
"Well...some things don't feel right, but...wait. What's wrong with my son!?" Yelan stopped pacing. Her face became a mask of alarm.  
  
"Possibility of hypothermia, I suppose," Eriol smoothly replied. "A run-in with the Freeze Card. Daidouji says so, and that beautiful reincarnation of Juliet couldn't get a lie past me." Of course, there never was a real Juliet. It's a metaphorical expression.  
  
Yelan didn't pay any attention to the last phrase. She only cared about the first. "What? Hypothermia!? We're going over there!" she cried.  
  
"I'm in England."  
  
"To Japan, then."  
  
Eriol smiled, totally calm. "Best wishes. Send my cute little descendant my regards."  
  
"Thank you, Clow Reed...er...Eriol..."  
  
The mysterious young man chuckled. "Sure...you're welcome."  
  
Yelan smiled.  
  
Click.  
  
Click.  
  
* * *Tomoeda* * *  
  
"Is his temperature rising already?" Tomoyo asked, entering the guest room with a tea tray in her hands. Her arm was bandaged from where the rapier caught her flesh, unconcealed by her sleeveless pink tee.  
  
Sakura raised her head from Syaoran's fast-breathing figure on the bed at her arrival. "I think so...I think that fight yesterday contributed to the improvement..."  
  
Tomoyo smiled. "I'm glad it did SOME good to HIM..." She cocked her head a little to the side, making her ebony tresses sway. "Let's wake him up. This hot tea'll help him recover some more heat."  
  
"Eh!? D-demo..."  
  
"Sakura-chan..." Tomoyo laid a pale hand on Sakura's shoulder. "He hasn't eaten anything since yesterday. That's not good for him, you know..."  
  
"I...well...okay..."  
  
Tomoyo smiled. She walked towards the other side of the bed and shook Syaoran's right shoulder gently. "Ne...Syaoran-kun..."  
  
Sakura watched, tensely, as Tomoyo shook the Chinese boy's limp body...before her hand also went up to Syaoran's cold forehead. She moved the stray, messy brown locks from his eyes and bit her lip as he stirred beneath her touch.  
  
"Syaoran-kun...onegai...wake up now..."  
  
Tomoyo stopped shaking the collapsed Chinese fighter to suck in the sweetness of the scene. She fumbled for her camera, which she'd placed on the dresser before going downstairs. Her index pressed on the red-marked button as she traced the lense over the kawaii couple's close faces.  
  
Syaoran's eyes fluttered open, slowly. He shifted them to look for Sakura, and found himself melting under her concerned emerald gaze. "What..."  
  
Sakura shushed him with a soft smile. "Sshhh...everything's fine." She cocked her head a little. "It's been a while."  
  
"How long?" he asked, flatly, suspiciously, curiously, disdainfully, and emotionlessly. Figure that out.  
  
Sakura didn't answer. "Here. Tomoyo-chan made us tea. I know it's kind of early and all but it'll make you feel better..."  
  
She inserted her hand between Syaoran's head and the pillow, his messy but soft chestnut locks sifting through her fingers. It felt good, she had to admit. She helped him up to a sitting position.  
  
He shot her a brief, half-glare, causing her to remove contact from his body. He gave a small sigh, his eyes straying downwards to avoid hers. He leaned his back against the intricately carved headboard.  
  
Sakura poured tea into three cups, serving them to Tomoyo and Syaoran on the kawaii little plates that go with them. Tomoyo smiled at her and expressed her thanks. Syaoran accepted with reluctance and hardly touched the tea for a long time.  
  
Sakura sighed. Tomoyo taped. Syaoran stared down.  
  
And they just sat in silence.  
  
* * *Syaoran* * *  
  
It's been a week. A whole week.  
  
A week since I recovered from that cursed, pathetic condition from my recent run-in with the Freeze Card. A week since the last moment of Sakura's hand on my forehead. A week since I last stared into her gorgeous emerald eyes. A week since I last felt myself melting under her damn pretty gaze. A week since I got lost at Daidouji's house...  
  
Don't laugh. It's true.  
  
I woke up on a Monday. The Freeze-Card-thing happened last Saturday. The three-in-one attack happened Sunday. Today's a Sunday, too. But anyway...  
  
They woke me up at around seven, I guess, to drink that tea (the one that provides, white-hot searing pain coursing through your throat after burning your tongue). I slept again.  
  
Don't snicker, I'm confessing my pitiful side here!  
  
I had to wake up sooner or later...so I got out of bed at around noon. Sakura and Daidouji went to school. Yeah, they left me to die. And how the hell was I supposed to know how to steer myself around that darned house's millions of halls? Just in case nobody noticed, that was my first time there!  
  
Anyway, there you go. I won't explain further HOW I got out of that. That part's gonna be WAY too humiliating to live down. You form your own theories. No. Nothing hentai-ish happened.  
  
So...it's been a week. A whole week.  
  
And I'm here right now in the Aquarium, mooning over...things. Like those times when she, er, embraced--no--hugged me. How many times did she do that again? Once? Twice? Thrice? Four times?  
  
I lost count. Anyway...  
  
I'm staring at a teeny angelfish right now. Hmm. I bet if she were a fish, she'd be an angel fish. Yeah, THAT she. HER she. Hmm...Hershey's...chocolate. Yeah, she's as sweet as the sweetest chocolate. I love chocolates, in case you didn't know...which you probably do. So it matches. Sakura and chocolate, I mean.  
  
No, I'm not blushing.  
  
Okay, okay, I am, but so what?  
  
Anyway, back to that angelfish...  
  
It's a pretty fish, nothing spectacular, but a pretty fish. It's not Sakura's looks that made me fall for her... Yeah, yeah, she's pretty. Beautiful. Awesome. Okay, GORGEOUS. But...she's so...yeah...gorgeous--both inside and out. BOTH, get that? Inside AND out. And so.........that's why...  
  
You see why she's so chocolaty for me now?  
  
"SYAORAN-KUN!!!"  
  
What the--? I whirled around. The angelfish swam away.  
  
Sakura.  
  
She looks too cute to describe today. She's wearing NORMAL clothes, by the way. But she makes those shorts, socks, shoes, and tee look like the best outfit ever put together. I'm not gonna go on describing what color, how short this and that is and blah blah blah, since I suck at that. Besides, it's her face that matters to me more than anything.  
  
I couldn't smile, although I desperately want to. I'm out of training. Anyway, Daidouji's camera's making me feel conscious, so I really couldn't.  
  
YES!!! Sakura's coming over here...yeah...on the spot where I'm standing on...to me.  
  
"Syaoran-kun...hi!" she said, smiling.  
  
I kept silent. I'm blushing, I think. Yeah, probably, 'cuz Daidouji's little smile says 'ohohoho...' meaning I AM blushing...so...I guess I am.  
  
Darn it. I'm a coward. Too much of a coward.  
  
She's smiling at me. Whoa. More blood's rushing to my cheeks. I can feel it. Darn cheeks. Oh, lookie, there goes Daidouji's look again. It says 'tell her, tell her!' in case you have no idea. And You probably know WHAT she wants me to tell.  
  
Yeah. How chocolaty Sakura is.  
  
I look at her face again, which is turned up to gaze at the huge aquarium of clear, glowing, azure water.  
  
She looks so beautiful. So innocent. This is probably what Daidouji would call a 'perfect setting'. I mean...everything's got a 'romantic' feel to it.  
  
But I can't. Every time I look at her, I become SO sure she'd reject me. That means fear. Yeah, fear. Got a problem with that?  
  
I sigh.  
  
I'm sorry.  
  
I can't.  
  
Oh, wait. Wait, wait, wait. My mouth is saying yes. Huh? Oh-ho. She's inviting me to a little snack at Daidouji's house. Oh, great. To THAT place again. Anyway...as long as I'm with her...  
  
Ahh...hear her voice? It's music...  
  
Anyway. No confessions for Daidouji's collection today.  
  
Like I said. I can't.  
  
Not right now.  
  
It's too soon.  
  
Maybe...  
  
Maybe next time...  
  
* * * tbc  
  
Lchan: Hah! Not much of a chapter, ne? Hey, I still gotta study, 'know! Last day of exams tomorrow! There's science, filipino and values. Gotta study science. I don't have the pointers.  
  
Anywayz...later people.  
  
And...I won't ask for C and C again 'cuz you're gonna leave feedback whether you like it or not! Hee hee...okay. And, oh, can anybody please tell me what "lol" signifies or when you use it or what!? Please?  
  
Ja! 


	14. Phone Call

Lchan: A boring chapter. This time I'm not just being modest. Neither am I lying. It's just a chapter to get you guys wondering about the epilogue, which'll contain the R-E-A-L ending. But there is a bit of humor...  
  
XIV-Phone Call  
  
Yelan dialed the number to Syaoran's apartment. Argh. A week. A whole damn week, and she still hasn't gone to Japan.  
  
Reason?  
  
The elders had gotten a sickly idea penetrating through their thick skulls that this 'hypothermia' thing could be part of Syaoran's what they call "deteriorating training". The fact that her son was falling for the mistress and peferred to play the supporting, partner-in-adventure, savior of the day, knight in shining armor role rather than the card master, rival of the mistress, descendant of Clow Reed one...  
  
They had no right to dump him into the 'weak' category.  
  
Ring...  
  
Riiiiing...  
  
Yelan flopped down on the leather couch.  
  
The elders had made sure she wouldn't interfere with that bright idea of theirs. They had their minds fully made up that this near-death-dilemma with her son could be turned into a sidedish to his future-Li-Clan-master training. They wouldn't allow her to go until they would be positive Syaoran had failed.  
  
'Until it's too late...' Yelan mentally corrected. 'And now it is.' She had succeeded in convincing the elders that she was the mother and they were just the trainors earlier that morning.  
  
"Even though my son is perfectly well by this time, I would prefer going over there to check on him," she'd told them. And they'd replied with a simple assent, as if they hadn't forbidden her communication with anyone in Japan for the past seven days, refusing to allow her to give medical motherly tips or words of motherly love.  
  
Well now all her things were all packed up and the girls had gone to the mall for a short shopping spree. They were ready to go to Japan.  
  
Riiiiiiiiiiing...  
  
"Moshi moshi."  
  
"Wei."  
  
"Ah, Ms. Yelan."  
  
"Yes. Is Xiao Lang there?"  
  
"No, ma'am. He's out."  
  
"Hospital!?!?" Yelan cried.  
  
"Absolutely not, ma'am! From what I know, he's at Daidouji's."  
  
"Is he absolutely okay now?"  
  
"It's been two days since he has been, Ms. Yelan."  
  
Yelan face-faulted. "H-he's not sick anymore?" she clarified.  
  
"No, thank goodness. It took three absences from school to restore some heat in him and another to be positive of a full recovery," Wei responded. "He claims he has had a bit of trouble card captoring, and Ms. Daidouji had so kindly offered him and the mistress shelter for the weekend."  
  
"What happened during the fight? Did he tell you?"  
  
"Well, he never was a graphic storyteller," Wei said, smiling.  
  
"Well, thank you anyway, Wei. Where is he now?"  
  
"Daidouji's ma'am."  
  
"Oh, yes. You told me."  
  
"I did, didn't I?"  
  
"Yes. Kindly give me the number there, please, Wei..." Yelan requested.  
  
"Please hold, Ms. Yelan. I'll look for that piece of scrap where he writes phone numbers," Wei said.  
  
"Sure." Yelan almost smiled.  
  
Wei plunked the phone down and strode towards the refrigerator door to see if he'd stuck the scented pink notebook paper, most probably from the mistress, there.  
  
No.  
  
To his room. And there it was--tacked and taped to the wall with adhesive sticker, scotch tape, thumbtacks, staple wires and pushpins. The numbers there, Sakura's and Tomoyo's, were written in the mistress' childlike handwriting.  
  
Wei took note of 'Tomoyo-chan's' number and read it to Yelan, who thanked him and said goodbye.  
  
* * *Hong Kong* * *  
  
"YAY!!! Japan, here we come!!!!" Fuutie shrieked, flinging the door to her room open with her paperbag-laden hands.  
  
"We'll feel the glory of tormenting our little brother again!" Feimei rejoiced, jumping inside and whirling around, her own purchases flailing in the air.  
  
"Do you think he'll stand for that!?" Sheifa cried, giggling, flopping down on the bed.  
  
"Yeah, sure. That is, after he's really okay! But even after that...he'll HAFTA!!!" Fanren burst out, her arms choking Sheifa in joyous delirium. Sheifa laughed and shook her off.  
  
Yelan entered.  
  
"Paper bags to the closets, girls. Xiao Lang's perfectly alright. We don't need to stress ourselves with a long three-way-trip-for-five-second-class to Japan." She wryly held up the promo ticket which Fanren had bought. Her daughter flushed.  
  
A four-in-one groan achoed throughout the whole five-story house.  
  
"NO!!!!!!!" they wailed. "Mother, WHY!?!?!"  
  
"Because he's okay, and if I want to go there I'd rather we have one-way first-class tickets each, please." Yelan turned and left the room.  
  
Her daughters shrieked and scuttled after her, grabbing at her sleeves and peering into her eyes, looking like lost, sad puppies. "P-p-p-p-p-p-puh- leeeeaaaaaase!?!?" they wailed. "Please, mother, pleeeeeeaaaaaaase!?!?!?!?"  
  
Yelan rolled her eyes. "Ssh now, darlings. Xiao Lang isn't done with his mission, and we can't butt in right now for no reason and interfere. We will just ruin his concentration. No need for distractions now, hmm?"  
  
"But, mo-om!!! We LOVE our little brother and we NEED to see his face!!" Fuutie shrieked, putting on her best pitiful pout.  
  
"It's been a year, mother!!" Sheifa cried.  
  
"Six months, darling--SIX MONTHS," Yelan corrected.  
  
"Half a year, then," Fanren gave in. "B-b-b-b-b-but PLEASE!?!?!?!?"  
  
"Not now, darlings, now hush. I need to call Daidouji's house and speak with him." Yelan held up the phone importantly. "Excuse me."  
  
She left.  
  
The sisters collapsed to the floor, heaving heavy groans.  
  
* * *Tomoeda* * *  
  
"Tomoyo-san?" Yumi poked her pretty dark head through the door of Tomoyo's room, where Tomoyo, Sakura and Syaoran were lounging around, pigging out on juice and cookies.  
  
Sakura was in the middle of "And Kero-chan went wild because you know how he doesn't want me to be with Syao--" when she interrupted.  
  
"Yes, Yumi-san?" Tomoyo cocked her pretty head at the waiting bodyguard.  
  
"Phone call." She raised the cordless phone she was holding.  
  
"Who is it?" Tomoyo asked, curiously, hopping from the bed to accept the call.  
  
"A certain...Yelan Li..."  
  
Syaoran's amber eyes widened, the first bolts of another emotion finally emerging from his blushing-otherwise-nothing countenance. His MOTHER is calling!?!? He reverted back into a blush. Urgh.  
  
Tomoyo took the phone. "Konnichiwa!" she greeted. "Tomoyo desu. How can I help you, ma'am?"  
  
"Ah, Tomoyo-san," Yelan said, her smile evident in her voice. "May I ask if my son is there?"  
  
"Sure! Ask away!" Tomoyo replied, stupidly, for Syaoran was busy sending frantic what's-she-saying signals. "Ah, chotto," she said to Yelan. "Please hold."  
  
She rolled her amethyst eyes at Syaoran and walked to the phone beside her bed, snapping on the speaker phone. "Hello?"  
  
"Tomoyo-san? Is my son there?" Yelan's voice echoed through the whole room.  
  
Syaoran mouthed 'no!'.  
  
"Er...he says he isn't here," Tomoyo quickly said, frantic because she was taking a long time to reply. "I-I mean...he's not. He's coming later, but not yet."  
  
"Oh? But Wei says he's there."  
  
"O-oh...Wei? He's...he's wrong. Yeah, that's it. Wei's wrong. Syaoran's coming over later, er...he's not here NOW, but he will be later."  
  
Syaoran smacked his forehead. Sakura sweatdropped. Tomoyo shrugged, sheepishly.  
  
"Okay...I'll check back later, then?"  
  
"Uhm...yeah, okay, sure."  
  
"Thank you anyway, Tomoyo-san."  
  
"Hai. Glad to be of service, heheh. Uhm. Bye."  
  
Click.  
  
Tet...tet...tet...tet... (sound of a busy line or no-person-on-the-other- line)  
  
Syaoran pounded on the button, turning off the speaker phone, brushing a hand through his messy auburn locks in exasperation. "That sounded..." he started. "...totally...totally...STUPID!!"  
  
"I know," Tomoyo said. "Ooh, wait." She snapped on her camcorder. "Go-men Syao-ran," she said in staged guilt, smiling brightly.  
  
Syaoran scowled.  
  
Tomoyo taped.  
  
Sakura giggled.  
  
Syaoran glared.  
  
Tomoyo laughed.  
  
Sakura sweatdropped.  
  
* * *Syaoran's POV* * *  
  
I'm staring at her again.  
  
She's watching me too. But not me, as in, ME. Me on TV, or rather, in one of Daidouji's tapes. We're watching her videotape collection, by the way. Daidouji's recording us right now too. The girl's obsessed with taping.  
  
Sigh.  
  
She is SO pretty. She's blushing now, lookit.  
  
I flick my eyes towards the television. Oh. The invisible-strings incident-- the work of my 'cute little descendant' name-caller. My stupid ancestor.  
  
She looks great blushing. It's because she's seeing herself falling asleep on my lap is why. Hmm...  
  
Ah...she's looks like an angel. I swear.  
  
You don't think so, I know, but that's because you don't feel the same way I do about her. Which is, like, totally, truly, madly, deeply in love.  
  
I don't deny that now. I'm not good at not facing my fears so I'll face it right now the way I faced the others.  
  
I am in love.  
  
Why can't I tell her!? I wonder about that too. Why can't I? Because I'm a coward? Yeah, that's it. Nah...can't be.  
  
Okay, so that IS the reason, so what? Wouldn't YOU be scared of heartaches too?  
  
But, honestly, I DO want to tell her. My greater fear than rejection is having her taken by someone else not me. Ouch. Especially not that darned ancestor of mine, ERIOL HIIRAGIZAWA, who's charming his way through every girl's heart.  
  
Could Sakura really learn to love me? Don't answer. I'm asking myself.  
  
Her emerald eyes turn to me. I could feel the now-familiar rush of blood to my cheeks. Is it just my imagination or is she blushing too? Deeper?  
  
Whoa. I wish. I really wish.  
  
She flicked her eyes away and avoided my gaze.  
  
I try to avoid hers too, but it just doesn't work well. I can't keep myself from staring at her. Oh, heck, she's glancing too!!  
  
She knows, probably, but knowing her...nah. TOO naive.  
  
Now I'm positive. She's blushing!!! But probably not because she feels the same way. My guess is that she's starting to get creeped out. Who wouldn't be?  
  
I'M STARING AT HER!! And this has been going on for quite a while now. Say, two hours?  
  
Hmm...agh!! It's my eyes against hers again!!! She's making me melt with just that look!!  
  
Face your fears, Li Syaoran!!  
  
Okay. You're right, brain. I don't care anymore. I shouldn't care. As long as SHE knows MY feelings, I'll be okay.  
  
I'm gonna tell her.  
  
* * *Later* * *  
  
Ring. Ring. Ring.  
  
"Moshi moshi?"  
  
Yelan smiled. "Ah, Tomoyo-san!" she said. "It's me again, Yelan Li." She heard Tomoyo's voice over the line requesting her to 'hold'. Then in a second she was back again.  
  
"Is Xiao Lang there now?"  
  
"Huh? Oho, hai!"  
  
"Oh, good. Can I talk to him?"  
  
"Huh, oh, wait. Syao--ohohohohohohohoho!!!!!!" Tomoyo shrieked.  
  
Yelan felt the phone being plunked down. "Huh!? Wait! What's going on? Tomoyo-san?" She sighed in exasperation, wondering what the commotion was all about.  
  
Faint kmurmurs reached her over the line. Tomoyo's voice couldn't be heard. Neither could she sense any other girl's voice. But surely Syaoran was talking to a girl...  
  
A girl...Sakura?  
  
And then, as she strained to make out some of the hushed words, her eyes widened. Six or seven syllables had strayed to her ear over the line.  
  
And it shocked her to the core. She couldn't believe...what the heck...why is he..what is going on!?!?  
  
"...And I just thought you might wanna know..."  
  
Silence.  
  
"...S-Syaoran-kun..."  
  
There. Another voice. And a GIRL'S one at that. She couldn't be wrong. She just couldn't.  
  
"Watashi...'atashi...me too, Syaoran-kun...me too!"  
  
That's it. Confirmed.  
  
"XIAO LANG LI, I WANT TO TALK TO YOU RIGHT NOW!!!" Her voice boomed throughout the room by way of the speaker phone.  
  
Tomoyo's camcorder zoomed in on two shocked faces as both her friends broke apart.  
  
* * *Hong Kong* * *  
  
"Girls, pack up."  
  
"EH!?!?!?!"  
  
"We're going to Japan. Fanren, go tell Meiling. She's coming with us."  
  
"Mother--!?"  
  
"Hush. Xiao Lang's found someone. He fell for the mistress."  
  
"REALLY!?!?"  
  
"Yes, now hurry up!"  
  
Four pairs of eyes widened.  
  
Four long seconds of agonizing silence took place.  
  
And then...  
  
Four squeals rent the air.  
  
* * * tbc  
  
Lchan: Nothin' much to say. I know you know what happened, and the epilogue shall confirm your most probably correct ideas. I edited this chapter 'cuz I didn't like it the way it was. Thanks for those who read this again.  
  
Onegai, review!  
  
Epilogue's comin' up. 


	15. Completion

Lchan: Expect the worst ending, okay? No, not exactly worst, I mean, I can't say I'm not proud...but it's not award-winning or anything spectacular. The confessions aren't at all romantic and mushy. Not too OOC on anyone's part either. Fairly casual. I like it better that way.  
  
You people just read on, okay? And then you can click the submit review button...please? Lyka loves you. ;; Riiiiiight...well, go on.  
  
XIV - Completion  
  
Syaoran stood up slowly from the far edge of the lavender-flecked white bed opposite Sakura and remained still standing. He was staring hard at the floor, as if absorbing every single detail there was in that certain area.  
  
But actually...he was thinking hard. Very hard.  
  
Of what to do.  
  
He felt really cold, scared, nervous, even sick, trying to gather all of his courage on what he would do next. His heart pounded against his ribcage, mercilessly, a rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins.  
  
Dug-dug...dug-dug...dug-dug...  
  
'Darn it.'  
  
Sakura felt his weight leave the bouncy bed, and she turned around in surprise. "Where are you going, Syaoran-kun? What's wrong?" she asked. She, too, stood up, but didn't run to him for fear she'd melt if she got close enough.  
  
Syaoran didn't answer, but instead steeled himself, closed his eyes to relax and heaved a defeated sigh.  
  
He raised his head.  
  
"Hoe? Syaoran-kun?" Sakura was now more worried for him than herself and her feelings. "Daijobu?"  
  
Syaoran, listening to the comforting melody each line she said relayed, smiled, or perhaps more appropriately--smirked.  
  
'So innocent...'  
  
He turned around, amber eyes finding themselves looking deep into glistening emerald pools. His heart stopped beating for just a split second, his bravery threatening to betray him...and he closed his eyes again to calm himself, his brain shouting 'face your fears' like a mantra-- an annoying, SO not comforting mantra.  
  
He clenched his fist and walked forward, one foot in front of the other, feeling like a short-circuiting robot. When he opened his eyes, he found he was a few feet from her concerned eyes, the object of her curious gaze.  
  
He looked away, unsure...but then faced her again. He was beginning to loose his nerve.  
  
"Sakura, I...I...I think...uhm...argh!" he stopped, perplexed and then shook his head slowly, turning his head to the right to avoid her gaze, a vexed frown creasing between his eyebrows. He shrugged, sullenly, embarrassment tinting his face. He flicked his amber eyes to her expectant stare, and then away.  
  
He flushed.  
  
"Listen, I...I love you."  
  
Sakura's eyes widened. "H-hoe?"  
  
Syaoran shrugged again, hints of another blushing session starting to surface. He breathed in and let out air in a soft sigh, unable to keep himself from glancing at her. He closed his amber eyes and brushed past her, wanting to escape her probing gaze...  
  
"I love you," he repeated, like it meant nothing (and in the process unknowingly magnifying its gravity even more), looking back up and gazing at the ceiling before he lost his nerve.  
  
Sakura's emerald orbs fell downwards in shock--to the floor. "Y-you do...?" she replied, stupidly. 'You do? You DO, Syoran, REALLY??'  
  
"Sure. It's been a while since I started to feel this way." Syaoran flushed hotly, but managed to keep his voice neutral.  
  
"Honto...honto ni?" came her sweet tone again. "What you're saying... It's...true?"  
  
He lowered his gaze from the ceiling to stare straight ahead towards the purple-streaked wallpaper, willing himself not to shrivel and turn to ash. "Too true." Adrenaline speaking. "I cursed myself for this, honestly...but it's impossible. I just...can't...you know...let you go, I mean...I'd be happy to die for you, or haven't you noticed?" He grinned a secret grin. "Darn hopelessness..."  
  
"Oh, then...then why...why do you love ME...?" Sakura asked, feeling suddenly exhilarated.  
  
He shrugged again. "I don't know. Because of everything..."  
  
"I see. Uhm...and...you...you're telling the truth?" She couldn't keep her voice from sounding hopeful although the line sounded strangely familiar-- like she'd already asked it before, which, she realized upon his answer, she actually did.  
  
"I just told you..." Syaoran said, softly. "Yes. And I just thought...maybe you felt...I mean--maybe you wanted to know..." He dropped his stare from the wall to the floor then shifted them backwards to try and see Sakura's reaction.  
  
She still had her back to him.  
  
"Sakura?"  
  
No answer.  
  
He sighed, steeling himself for the obviously upcoming rejection. 'Stupid, Syaoran! Talk about tactless...' He prepared his legs for a long walk home, desperately trying to keep his heart intact.  
  
Sakura felt hot tears form in her emerald eyes. He...loved her...? Annoyingly, madly in love with her...like she was with him? Just as crazy, just as hopeful...just as...just as much!? It was...stupendous! Brilliant! Fantastic! Perfect!!  
  
It was her ultimate dream coming true.  
  
"Syaoran..."  
  
Syaoran bolted from his pool of sorrow, where her silence had made him go-- or drown in, more like--feeling the first stirrings of hope. He turned around, feeling suddenly weak. "Yeah...?" he asked, softly. He raised his eyes, every fiber of him wanting and dreading to see her face at the same time...  
  
'Whoa.'  
  
She was...SMILING.  
  
No what could THAT mean?? Syaoran looked away and lowered his head a bit, enough to hide his feelings and restore some pride.  
  
'Oh...kay...relax...relax, Syaoran...just relax...'  
  
Then, too swiftly for him to notice, Sakura ran--towards him, crossing the space between them in five quick steps. And then her arms found their way around his neck, overwhelming him in a tight hug.  
  
He felt his heart stop.  
  
He felt he would melt.  
  
He felt her squeeze.  
  
His heart banged in his chest again.  
  
"Sa-Sakura...!" he gasped out, a blush highlighting his cheeks. He struggled his hardest to remain impassive, but couldn't. His brain was wailing out questions: 'What to say...what to ask...what to do!!!'  
  
"Me too, Syaoran! Me, too!!" Sakura cried, joyfully, embracing him tighter.  
  
His amber eyes widened to dinner plates. "You...you do...honestly!?" he cried out.  
  
Sakura smiled and savored the feeling of his soft chestnut locks caressing her cheeks. She nodded mutely and inhaled. "Yes..." she whispered... "Honestly..."  
  
'He loves me!! He LOVES me!! He loves meeeeeeee!!!!'  
  
Syaoran's hands rose from his sides to hug her back, amber eyes still wide with shock. "I...I'm...glad..." he murmured, not actually knowing the proper dialogue for mush. And then his arms tightened around her, and everything came naturally.  
  
"Thanks...for loving me back," he murmured.  
  
Sakura giggled against his neck and relaxed in his arms. "It's nothing...it was worth the effort."  
  
Syaoran grinned and shook his head, struggling to maintain his sanity, when he felt her head push and lean softly against his. He felt he would burst. His face suffered through seventeen shades of red, every single part of him tingling with electricity, amber eyes bolted through by shock.  
  
Then he relaxed. After all...she loved him too...  
  
And he pulled back to stare deep into her emerald green orbs the way he never imagined he could ever do but had always dreamed of doing. He smiled at her. And she smiled back.  
  
Then a new voice that wasn't Tomoyo's broke that precious moment. "Xiao Lang Li, I want to talk to you right now!!!" Yelan's stern tone filtered through the speaker phone and echoed through the room, renting the silence.  
  
He broke away from Sakura as she too stared at the phone in shock.  
  
Their faces enlarged into a zoom in.  
  
"Kawaiiiiiii!!!!!!!!!!!" Tomoyo squealed, eyes wide and starry as she stared at her telly's fifty-inch screen.  
  
Sakura smiled at Syaoran. Syaoran flushed.  
  
Sheifa, Fuutie, Feimei and Fanren, all four biting into their tear-soaked handkerchiefs, all burst into excited squeals. "Aaaaaahhhhhhh!!! Our little brother's growing up!"  
  
Yelan stared, pale and shocked. "X-Xiao Lang...Xiao Lang...w-why...how..."  
  
Meiling bit her lip and kept from crying. "Mou, Syaoran!!" she cried instead, in a happy-sad-reprimanding voice. "You could have at least been a bit smoother!!"  
  
Syaoran blushed crimson as Tomoyo rewound the tape for the fourth time that evening. "I...I'm sorry..." he said, lamely.  
  
Meiling grinned at his embarrassment. "Nah," she reconsidered. "You couldn't have said it better,"  
  
"Yeah!" Fuutie jumped in. "If you'd done it in another way, I know you'd have messed up!!"  
  
Five females giggled loudly, excluding Yelan. The Li family had arrived an hour earlier, while the original trio, or rather, TOMOYO was midway through her second screening.  
  
Sakura flushed, her eyes darting to meet Syaoran's. Then she scowled at her excited teasers: "Fuutie-neechan! Meiling-chan! Tomoyo-chan!" She staged narrowing her eyes and gave a soft giggle.  
  
As the VCR once again replayed the bit of mush Tomoyo had taken, the phone rang, midway through Syaoran's first "I love you".  
  
"Moshi moshi!?" Tomoyo squealed into the phone.  
  
"Konbanwa, Tomoyo..."  
  
"Ah! Eriol-kun!!"  
  
Syaoran walked over and snapped on the speaker phone, a malicious glint in his eyes. Tomoyo's eyes widened. She reached for the button, but Syaoran caught her hand. Sheifa started to play with the camera.  
  
"Why, hello to you too, my cute little descendant."  
  
"Shut up!" Syaoran snapped, ignoring the look his mother shot him.  
  
"Touchy..." Eriol's mysterious voice said, the laughter in his voice obvious. "It's okay. Apology accepted."  
  
"I didn't say sorry!"  
  
"You were about to."  
  
"No."  
  
"Yeah right."  
  
"Why you...!"  
  
"I called to speak with TOMOYO, little descendant. Not you. I care about you too, thank you very much, but I've something to confess here...to Tomoyo. Kindly please get lost."  
  
Syaoran bit back a retort, suddenly conscious of that fact and the other that his mother was watching him disgrace the old ancestor in cute teen's clothing.  
  
Tomoyo felt her heart soar. "Eriol-kun? What is it?"  
  
Eriol smiled. "Well...at last I'm finally hearing your divine voice, Daidouji. I see my cute little descendant has beaten me to telling loved ones the words..."  
  
Tomoyo cocked her head. "Yes, yes...it was so kawaii...!!"  
  
Eriol smiled. "So are you."  
  
Syaoran's eyebrow shot up. 'Where did that fancy pick-up line come from?'  
  
"Eriol-kun...d-do you...want me to get Sakura?" Tomoyi asked, confused and slightly deflated. Maybe Eriol knew the speaker phone was on and was directing his words to Sakura or something...but...hadn't he specifically told Syaoran that he wanted to speak with her?  
  
Or...not...?  
  
Sakura murmured a 'hoe'. Syaoran snapped to a glare. The four sisters clutched at their handkerchiefs. Yelan's eyes narrowed. Tomoyo sank onto the bed.  
  
Eriol looked surprised, blue eyes glimmering behind his glasses. "What? Sakura? No."  
  
"Well...so then...whose number do you want?" Tomoyo started to feel a little hope.  
  
"Ah...Daidouji Tomoyo-san..." Eriol said, softly. His mysterious smirk reappeared on his face, and everyone in Tomoyo's room felt it.  
  
"Y-yes?" Tomoyo pressed.  
  
"I called you...I meant you."  
  
Tomoyo face-faulted, unable to comprehend what he was saying. "Huh, what?"  
  
Eriol's rich, British-tinted voice broke once again over the line after a few seconds of agonizing tranquility. "Aishiteru."  
  
Sakura and Syaoran caught each other's eyes.  
  
"Wh-what?" Tomoyo asked, feeling her lungs scream for air.  
  
Eriol's grin grew wider. "I know you heard me. I love you."  
  
Tomoyo felt herself melt. "Oh my, gosh...I mean...I..."  
  
"Yes...?"  
  
"I...th--thanks...I-I'm glad...flattered...I mean, happy...ah...thanks...a lot, I mean...my goodness...I...I never..."  
  
Eriol smiled. "Yeah...I get your point." Silence. "Well...don't you have something to confess as well?" he asked, an odd edge to his voice...sort of like a tint of hope in his usual old mysterious air.  
  
Tomoyo stared, shocked and beet red. "Eriol-kun!" she gasped out. Her face burst out in shades of red. "Uhm...I...I..."  
  
Eriol smiled, finally able to breathe again after realizing he'd been holding it in. "I'm flattered."  
  
Tomoyo gaped at the phone. "Eriol-kun!!"  
  
Eriol smirked, his heart soaring at her obvious guilt. "I know. Serious chemistry going on. I guess I'll just come over in a few days for our own embracing session, ne, Daidouji-san? And I'll do better than my idiotic cute little descendant."  
  
Syaoran and Sakura flushed.  
  
"You'll do that," Tomoyo replied, smiling, getting over her shock, feeling herself swoon before melting into a pool of sweet honey.  
  
"I will."  
  
Tomoyo giggled once more, and then stopped to go with the sudden silence. "Uhm..."  
  
Eriol flashed his mysterious smile again, knowing what she wanted to say. "Aishiteru, Tomoyo."  
  
Tomoyo giggled. "You beat me to that. Rebound, Eriol-kun..."  
  
Click.  
  
Click.  
  
Sheifa clicked off the camcorder.  
  
And four squeals rent the air.  
  
Tomoyo dropped to her back on the bed, the telephone pressed tightly to her chest, inaudible squeals spilling, soaring inside her head. Eriold liked her! Eriold LOVED her!! The reincarnation of Clow Reed, the mysterious exchange student from England...truly LOVED her!!  
  
And he wanted to hug her too! Exactly how cool can things get!?!?  
  
Dark, chocolate-brown eyes were tightly locked gazes with emerald green pools, both pairs glimmering with a certain emotion's intensity that couldn't be expressed better through words.  
  
Tomoyo's gaze was centered into space, vividly envisioning Eriol Hiiragizawa's features dancing with the wind...smiling at her, like it used to do, although she had never been sure why. He had always been so quiet...her very own enigma...  
  
The mysterious reincarnation of Clow Reed had his deep midnight eyes obscured beneath his dark hair, concealing an emotion he was alien to feeling. A sort of...light...feathery...WEIRD thing. Like extreme...joy...or maybe, well...a very strong...infatuation...  
  
Nakuru and Spinel bumped each other at the look on their master's face. Oh, yes...it was the understatement of the century...and all the other centuries they had been through together...  
  
Eight privileged spectators watched as chocolate, emerald, amethyst and deep blue windows to four souls all at the same time reflected the strange, indescribable bliss that a sentiment called love had bubbled up inside each of their four hearts. Everything seemed to just lock into place.  
  
Falling in love...  
  
So...this is how it is feels...  
  
Complete...  
  
owari  
  
Lchan: Whoa...mushy, eh? Okay, to all who aren't satisfied, I'm sorry. I was never really that good with endings...and you HAVE to understand about this kissing-scene-less chappie! They are TEN YEARS OLD!!! W can't have the kids 'devouring' each other's lips! Ee-yuck!  
  
Well...since this IS the last chapter, PLEASE review!!! I'll be glad to hear some good ones for this, I mean...I don't want flames at the very last chapter.  
  
I'll be meeting you again in my next fic, right!?  
  
Well...I luv you folks, always such good persons, keeping ol' LYKAchan healthy like that. Well...as I said, here are my reviewers, and I luv y'all! Don't be offended if I forgot you, okay? Anyone who's anyone who reviewed...you have my arigatos. To all who don't have enclosed messages beside your names, blanks mean thanks, okay?  
  
Jared (thanks a lot, lot, lot!! I luv your reviews!)  
  
master li (your reviews make me smile this really weird, kinda dopey grin)  
  
Danielle Ngo (keep sending those )  
  
Sailor Jamie (Thanks SO much. You don't know what your last message made me feel!)  
  
Kita (well...i kept my promise of keeping syaoran alive, didn't i? thanks)  
  
Sakura cc (aww...stop makin' people blush)  
  
kawaii-sakurasyaoran (I'm sorry...I'm...speechless...)  
  
cherry-blossom (thanks a bunch for sticking around!)  
  
sakurakawaiicherry (fat help you offered there! thanks for the chap 4 alert)  
  
space leviathan ( speechless...uhm...thanks for not killing...)  
  
Goten1986 ( thanks a bunch for stopping by!)  
  
ARCHANGEMON (Aww...don't be mean... ;;)  
  
Chelle (thanks for that help on 'lol')  
  
Angel Blossom (same as Chelle, thanks a bunch)  
  
MCHLL (thanks for that compliment...you're makin' me blush... )  
  
wolfy (heheh...very cute...thanks a lot!)  
  
Cheery Wolf (arigato gozaimashita)  
  
arashi099, Anime-writer, serbii, yaa, Amalthea, Rage of Tasuki, TennyoAngel711, hiro-0911, Cakkie, Supreme ki, kit... (I'm sorry for this but I'm gettin' tired...thanks a bunch to ya bunch)  
  
and etc, atbp...  
  
Ja ne and domo arigato gozaimasu!  
  
Love lots, Lchan 


	16. Epilogue

Lchan: Okay, I added this epilogue because I realized that the chapter I last posted wasn't 'epilogue' enough. So here it is! Bunches of ramblings in POV's...this can actually pass for a one-shot, but I did make it for Choices, so here it is posted with all the rest of the chapters as the official epilogue! Please read and review, as always! This is the last time, I promise! Coz I'm not sure about the sequel idea... Who know though, right...?  
  
Epilogue  
  
So this is how it feels...  
  
I was never able to tell how it happened with him. I never realized, never noticed that he felt that way. I used to think he was so far away from me-- too far for me to reach...too distant to BE reached...  
  
But I was wrong.  
  
The Chinese exchange student, who hated me from the beginning...the descendant of Clow Reed, who was after the same things I was...the future Li Clan master, who hardly ever gave up anything he set his heart into (and that included triumph over me and triumph over the Clow cards, which he later let go without me even realizing it)...  
  
Hoe...  
  
How had it happened to him? How had he learned to love someone like me?  
  
He used to dislike me so much, and I thought he didn't know how much it hurt. It even crossed my mind that maybe he didn't care...  
  
And yet...Syaoran-kun has always been there for me, despite all that. And he was always all too willing to risk everything just to help me...so I ceased to think that he didn't care at all...but then I wonder why I never asked him the reason why he DID care. Why did he even bother to fight with me if he wanted nothing more than the power of the Clow cards...?  
  
Maybe...I never asked him because I was happy enough knowing that he didn't hate me.  
  
It took me a while to realize my feelings for him...a very long while...I wonder when he realized his. I never noticed...I never dreamed he would return them, see. So I never looked close enough to search for it...  
  
I didn't think of confession once. I never dreamed of telling him, like he did with me...and I suppose I was a coward for not doing so. A part of me wishes that I did--that I had just told him the moment I was sure it was real...and I would have known sooner that he loved me back...I wouldn't have wasted so much time.  
  
But oh well.  
  
Everything turned out for the best.  
  
I'm happy it all happened this way. So happy...  
  
Aishiteru, Syaoran-kun...  
  
So this is how it feels...  
  
Sakura...  
  
I couldn't imagine that I ever hated you, or even disliked you--even in the beginning! Yeah, I was a fool then. I was a selfish little brat. Your brother and Kero put it pretty well...  
  
Yet you still defended me against them, even though what they said was true.  
  
You preferred to blind yourself to my shortcomings, though I was all but screaming them into your ears (I'd never do that of course. Like I even COULD). Sakura...I owe you so much...and I haven't paid for even half of it.  
  
You turned me around, twisted me to be someone I never thought I could be-- and imagine, without even forcing me to anything. You were a person I never thought could exist--someone better than a dream...  
  
You're more than a cherry blossom...so much more...  
  
And I'll always be here, Sakura. Always...for you...  
  
So this is how it feels...  
  
I used to be so intent on Sakura-chan and Li-kun's relationship, I forgot my own. But I suppose that's alright, because ever since you left, it was hard not to get lonely.  
  
I wish you'd stayed until the end of the year, Eriol-kun, or maybe even until high school...or until we graduate.  
  
I liked you from the beginning--you with your English ethics and eternal mystery. You made me smile even though you weren't even talking directly to me. And I would have missed that so much if I hadn't found other people's lives to concentrate on.  
  
I didn't want to miss you, Eriol-kun. I didn't want to think back on all our memories and end up remembering that you're nowhere near me at the moment.  
  
But...I didn't want to forget you either. No way. And as if I ever could!  
  
I never really admitted to myself that I love you. I just thought I liked you in a different, more fascinating way than I like all the others. And I didn't want to encourage the feeling.  
  
There were so few moments that we spent together while you were still here, and you always seemed so much more interested in Sakura-chan. I didn't want to kindle too much hope and get hurt. Besides, I thought, what's a silly school-girl-type infatuation anyway? It would just dissolve the moment we part ways...  
  
But you know what (which I suppose you did)? It didn't. And what was even weirder was that it didn't surprise me that it didn't. You stuck to my head and I was just like 'duh, Tomoyo, of course, you've been expecting that!'  
  
But I never expected that the same happened to you. Basing on the way you spoke to me on the telephone, I guess I didn't escape your memories either...  
  
And THAT surprised me. And that surprise felt fantastic--so incredibly fantastic that I never even saw it coming.  
  
Now I know how it feels...to like someone this much...because of you...  
  
I'll always be waiting for your return, Eriol-kun. So come back soon.  
  
So this is how it feels...  
  
It's the first time I have ever fallen for someone, and I don't regret that it's with you.  
  
I wish I could have spent more time with you and that wonderful voice of yours during my stay in Tomoeda, but centuries-old plans couldn't be easily postponed. If it were all completely up to me, I would have stayed longer, but I do have Nakuru and Spinel...and also Mizuki-san waiting...  
  
Speaking of Mizuki-san...she was a friend--always been--and has never been anything else but.  
  
But you...you were. You ARE...  
  
Tomoyo-san, you were always so brave to stand by the card mistress even in times of worse troubles, despite the dangers. You presented to all of us that you just wanted to record her battles into your camera, but I could see how deep it actually ran. You wanted to be there for Sakura, for my descendant...for the people you've learned to love as your friends...  
  
And that was what I liked most about you, not to mention your serenity and stubbornness, only too well hidden by your smiles and laughter and video recorder. You're a beautiful girl, Tomoyo.  
  
Stay that way, always.  
  
I don't exactly remember how it happened to me, or when. Falling for you, I mean. I used to think it was just the onrush of boyhood overtaking me because I am in this body, but then...even though I'd finally and firmly decided to focus on my purposes with my descendant and Sakura...you stayed there and lingered, smiling and singing at the back of my mind...  
  
And you know, I didn't mind. I didn't try to deny it.  
  
You're such an easy girl to fall in love with, Daidouji-san...especially for a guy like me.  
  
So please...wait for me, okay? I'll come back for you soon...  
  
So this is how it feels...  
  
To like someone...  
  
To fall in love...  
  
owari  
  
Lchan: I know, I know, my writing style has changed quite a bit. When did I write this fic anyway? Last summer?? Ah well...anyway, so there you go! The ending!! The final ending!! I hope you liked it! I tried to keep all the POV's short and simple. Please review this epilogue! I'd really appreciate it! Oh, and if you want, you can check out my latest CCS fic, Opposites Attract--just an offer to people who MIGHT be a bit interested in yet another slightly AU fic on high school life...a'ight? Thanks, people! Luv y'all! 


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